Dead Man's Treasure
by moviegal99
Summary: Cora and Zane are just the regular circus orphans, working to keep their stay in their home. But when coming across a memory-lost humanoid robot when scavenging one day, their lives get pulled into hard drive. How hard could it be to bring one little robot back to a robot circus?...They'll soon find out they have no idea what they're in for...rated for violence and language
1. What Have I Found

Cora hopped over a rusted steel pipe, envy grime growing at its' moist surface. She looked up to the vast valley of abandoned scraps and dead mans' treasure. Shielding one eye with her hand, Cora continued to tread along the Surface, keeping a keen look out for anything that drew enough attention to pick up.

"Start heading back?" called a teenage boy named Zane, climbing up a metal hill. Cora stopped and looked around. The sun was slowly sinking into the horizon.

"Nah, we still got about two or three hours till we can think about turning back." Zane nodded.

"Find anything useful yet?" Cora scanned the ground. Just hairdryers, bowling pins, microwaves, broken phones and smashed TVs. Robot parts was what they were after. Finding a whole robot intact would be a dream come true, but there was always those lucky days…

"Nope, nothing." She sighed. Zane took a glace around, and started to jump down the hill in the opposite direction to Cora. She eyed him.

"Where are you going?" she asked sternly.

"I think I found something!" The boy ran across the slippery ground, almost tripping. Cora shook her head and started to walk around a large junk pile, as big as a building. She scratched the back of her head, her black spiky hair burying her fingers. As Zane disappeared far out of view, Cora picked up speed. She kicked a bottle out of her path and leaned against the giant mound, releasing an unsatisfied sigh from her lips. Looked like nothing was to be found today.

Hamegg wouldn't approve.

Not one bit. Especially since Cora and Zane had begged him to go on scavenging duty instead of setting up the circus like the rest of the kids. "ZA-!" Cora was about to call out to Zane to head off since there was nothing valuable here today, when she heard something:

"HEY! GET OFF! ITS MINE!"

"BATERIES! NEW BATTERIES!"

"GIMMIE!"

Cora tilted her head as the strange voices came from just around another metal hill. They sounded like the Scavengers, a band of power seeking rusted robots that lured the Surface, picking off other robot's batteries. Some kids from the circus had tried to capture the Scavengers before, but they were too rough and probably too wild to put in the circus anyway. It sounded like they had found an extremely good catch, they wouldn't usually fight. Cora needed whatever robot they had found, even half one, to make up for a dud day they couldn't afford. She snuck around another mound, back to the rusted metal.

She inched her head around ever so slightly to see how far away the cannibal machines were. She saw a washed out blue iron back right near her and quickly darted back down. "Shit!" she crouched to her knees and took another look. The five robots stood, pushing each other and debating. One was a waiter bot, with threatening up grades, a viscous claw on its right hand, whirling and clicking with adrenalin. This one the kids call Grasp, as it loved to lunge and take hold of its pray with no thoughts of ever letting go…

The second bot was a washed out blue one, with an impressive top hat with no one really to impress it with. Its figure was practically a box, with flexible arms and huge kicking feet. He was called Blue, hence his appearance, and was the leader of the Scavengers.

The third was a rejected house bot, legs down in wheels, one eye, a huge torso and one arm replaced with a tennis ball shooter. Because of this adjustment, he was called Aim.

The forth was a cow boy robot, with a brown hat and a latching lasso in his scarred pocket. His eyes were freakishly not looking anywhere, just in a dead stare reflecting what was inside him. They called this one Loopy, as he loops his lasso and his face looks like he's gone round

the bend…

And finally, the last one, was an everyday Metro City bot, with a pink body in an arrange of boxes and cylinders. On its head was a pair of pony tails, no particular color from being washed out of rain. This one was called Tails, hence the hair.

Cora looked around the ground at her feet, searching for a weapon. "Common, common common…" her eyes sprung at a spanner, half buried in the grunge. Breath unwillingly heavy, she sneaked her arm over and griped hold of the end of it.

"MINE! MINE! MINE!"

"SHUT UP! I FOUND IT!"

"YOU WANNA PLAY IT THAT WAY, NOW DO YA?!"

Cora tugged aggressively at the spanner, trying to break its bond with the earth. Wiggling it side to side, it popped out with such magnitude Cora got knocked back against the mound, metal clanking against her back. She heard the Scavengers stop arguing and fall dead silent. She held the spanner close to her chest, gulping with regret.

"Diz you juzst hear somthingz?" she heard Grasp ask with his French accent.

"Probably just some junk falling. Come on, how we gonna do this? I get half and you lot get the rest." Blue declared.

"BULL! I'M THE ONE WHO FOUNDTHE THING!" Aim screamed.

"Then you get the other half."

"YES!"

"MORE BULL! WE HELPED TOO!"

"You can go and find some other high powered machine!"

"WHAT?! WELL YOU CAN KISS MY FIST! TAKE THIS!"

Cora heard metal on metal clanging and scraping. She looked around the corner again. Just out of the corner of her eye, past Blues' thrown body, she saw an inch of the robot they had found. Just a bit of a black spike.

_Huh_, she thought to herself. _You would think it would be as big as a truck, the way they're going on about it. But this robot seems small, almost…no IT IS, smaller then ME!_

She couldn't get to it without being spotted. As Blue stepped back near her, she jumped up and slammed her spanner on his head.

"HUH?"

he sprung around to come face to face with Cora's smirking face. He clenched his fists. "Alright, girly. What THE HELL WAS THAT FOR?!"

all the bots stopped and looked evilly at her, poised to strike at any moment. Cora innocently put her hands behind her back.

"Well, I was just going to join your debate. Just stating the obvious, Grasp is the one who should have it ALL." Grasp's eyes lit up (literately), and he beamed at all the stunned robots.

"Hear zat, boys! (and girl). I GET ZIM!"

"Excuse me, but I am the leader. I GET AT LEAST SOME!" Blue snapped back at Cora.

"Oh, I know that silly. That's why you've taken it already." She chimed.

"WHAT!? YOU'VE TAKEN MY CATCH?!" Grasp yelled in anger. Blue looked confused, then took the opportunity.

"That's right you French piece of plastic!"

"What about me?" Tails demanded.

"Why, you pair up with Blue. You have to shaaaaare…" Blue and Tails glared at each other.

"I'M NOT SHARING WITH YOU!"

"ME NEITHER!"

"(Sigh) and then Aim and Loopy steal it and take it for themselves…"

"ZAT IZ ZIT!" a massive brawl started.

"And then Hamegg came over with his robot circus to capture you all." Their eyes grew wide.

"RUUUN!"

"ZAT BE GOOD IDEA!"

They all disappear, scampering into the distance, behind more huge mounds. Cora laughed and put her hands on her hips.

"Stupid robots…" she mumbled to herself. They sure did have brawl, but brains? They didn't know day from night. Speaking of which, the sun was just a few minutes away from full dusk, as the sky was turning gray with a tinge of orange. Cora looked down to where the mystery robot lay.

A child.

He looked about thirteen, with black jeans and a white and red t-shirt, pandered with dust and oil smudges, with a rip on the side. He wore red boots, and his hair was black and in two spikes. His eyes were closed and he just laid there, almost no sign of life. Cora punched herself on the forehead.

"A KID? RISK MY LIFE FOR A KID?!" She slumbered over and kneeled beside the boy. "Is it dead?"

she whimpered to herself, her anger suddenly turning to concern. She reached her hand out to his head. "Why would the Scavengers be interested in a child…?"

**TAP TAP.**

She softly tapped the boy on the skull. No movement. She held his wrist for a pulse. Nothing. She sighed. "Poor little fella…"

It wasn't the first time she had seen a dead body among the musk of the Surface junk. Humans died everyday on the Surface, from heart attack, starvation… But never before so young, and in such neat condition.

_Maybe he only just died,_ she thought to herself. _Then wouldn't the skin have that touch of warmness still in it?_

She decided not to have any further bother with the situation, stood up and stared to walk back to Zane, twirling spanner in-between fingers.

Until she heard a groan.

Her eyes widened. _No, it can't be. He IS DEAD. No pulse, no life._ But the groaning continued. Cora's face clenched with fear. She wasn't a fan of zombies. She slowly, ever so slowly, turned around. There, the boy's eyes were opening like anvils, difficultly and heavy.

"Hmmmm…" He mumbled, looking up to Cora. She shook her head in disbelief and frowned. She approached the boy carefully. He looked around and his eyes widened. With a yelp he sprung up, looking desperately around. "W-where am I? Who are you? Whe-OW!" As he tried to get up on his arms, one fell back in fail to do so. Cora walked up to him, confusion on her face.

"Umm…are you okay?"

The boy gasped and jolted his head up to her, fear in his eyes. He rubbed his shoulder of the hurt arm.

"W-w-where am I?" he quivered.

"Um, where do you think? A five star resort? This is the Surface," Cora answered, perhaps a little too rudely for the moment. The boy still grasped at his shoulder. Cora kneeled down beside him to investigate the broken limb. The boy hesitated for a second, inching away, but gradually let her take a look. She seemed harmless, even quite nice. Cora turned the boys head out of the way and gently pulled the neck of the shirt down.

"You come from Metro City, right?" The boy's eyes looked over to her.

"H-how did you guess?"

"Well, for starters you dress a little to well to be taking a nap in the sun. And I just saved your butt from the Scavenge…" she never finished as her fingers came to a heavy slice in his arm. No blood. No flesh. Nothing human. Electro blue chips and colored wires took its place, with a blue wave of brilliant glow passing through every few seconds. Cora gasped and jolted back. The boy turned his head to her startled face of the girl.

"Err, is there a problem? You look pretty freaked-"

"YOU'RE A _ROBOT_?" she asked, her voice filled with confusion, surprise and interest all at the same time. The boy's eyes widened and he looked to his shoulder. The deep scar met his gaze. He gasped and quickly covered it with his working hand.

"Hey, no point hiding! I saw the wires, robot boy!"

The boy looked at Cora with a confused face. The girl didn't say this with anger, or frustration. She accentually sounded pretty excited. She took a round of gray duct tape from a tattered leather waist bag and leaned over to him. He leaned away, scared of what she was going to do. She grabbed his hand and roughly moved it off its shoulder. She seemed much less careful with him now, he wondered if she was a robot hater or liker.

"Um, what are you doing?"

Pulling on the end of the thick sticky tape, she started to wind it around the robot boy's scar.

"Can't have you more damaged, now can we?" she said, on her third loop.

"Well, that's very kind of-"

"Hamegg would kill me." His face dropped.

"Oh…"

_So much for concern_.

Cora took out a pocket knife and sliced the end of the duct tape off. She stepped back, shoving the objects back in the bag. The boy looked at his now binded shoulder.

"Well, stand up! let me take a look at you." Cora demanded. He looked up to the girl and tilted his head, but shakily got to his feet. He wobbled back and forth.

"Whoa…whoa…"

Cora frowned at it and reached out, steadying its shoulders. As soon as the robot was planted to the ground, she circled around it.

_Amazing_, she thought. "You look like a human, I thought you were a kid at first!" The robot boy looked down at himself. "You gotta name?" he lifted his head in thought. Cora stood still in front of the robot boy with hands on hips. "Well? Answer me." she ordered. Robots back at the circus wouldn't dare disobey a human.

"Um…I can't remember."

"An owner?" He tilted his head.

"Don't you mean family?" Cora frowned.

"Uh, you're a robot. You don't have family, you have creators and owners. You know that, right?" The robot looked down to the ground, as if offended. Cora sighed and continued her list. "A home?"

"No..." The strain on trying to remember seemed to be getting difficult.

"Ummm, do you have a manufacturing barcode?"

"Look, I would tell you everything if I knew, okay?" Cora looked startled at the back chat. She shook the expression from her face and cleared her throat.

"Uh, you can come with me. I'll take you to a robot cir-"

"CORA!"

Zane's voice came from behind the huge metal mountain. They both looked towards the voice. Zane came panting over, holding a round white robot head, green and red wires sticking out the bottom. "Hey Cora! I got this…" He skidded to a stop in front of them, a confused look on his face. "Who's the kid?"

"Zane! You'll never believe what I've found!" Cora ran up to the boy in excitement. Zane raised an eyebrow at her.

"Cora, we need robots. NOT more children."

"Zane, this _is_ a robot."

With widened eyes Zane looked over the robot boy, standing awkwardly in front of them. His expression softened.

"Yeah, nice try Cora. I'm not _that_ easy to fool." He said stubbornly, crossing his arms around his chest. Cora sighed. Now she wished she hadn't taped the scar, it would have given her proof. She turned sharply to the robot.

"I can prove it. Can you do anything? X-ray vision, maybe?"

He darted his eyes around, trying to remember how to use the ability. Funnily enough, he couldn't really remember what robots can, or are supposed, to do. Zane, becoming impatient, dumped his bag on the clunky metal and started tapping his foot on the ground.

"Any time now. Actually, no time now, we have to go."

Cora looked up to the sun. it was sinking lower and lower, brilliant colors of rich reds, pastel pinks and brandy oranges filling the daily blue sky. She growled a little at the robots incapability and at her own friend for not believing her. She pouted and trudged over to the boy robot. He eyed her every move. She stepped over to the taped shoulder and scraped a little, sucking an ripping sounds echoing over to Zane's ears. He couldn't help but lean forward to take a glance of what Cora was doing to the kid. She groaned a little as the tape was strong, but finally peeled enough away for a clear view of the scar.

"There," she said, wiping her forehead. "See for yourself."

The boy robot moved his head away as much as possible. These teens obviously worked around robots, and didn't have much concern for them. Zane stumbled over to Cora and peeked at the scar. His eyes widened and a confused look came over him as well as a smile. He dropped the old robot head he was carrying and looked at the boy's face.

"Well I'll be. It's a robot! Ha, and so human looking! This guy must be worth a fortune up in Metro City!"

Cora carefully stuck the duct tape back into its original position and smiled at the robot. Zane ran up to his bag excitedly, zipping up loose straps.

"Hamegg will be thrilled! Good thing you found him today, Cora, or else _we'd _be scrap metal! What do you think he was used for?"

"Who's Hamegg?" the boy robot suddenly asked. Zane looked up from his bag and stood, swinging the arm around his back. Cora started thinking.

Hamegg was the one who ran the circus. Any kid who'd had enough of their family would run off and be picked up by Hamegg, who would take them in. They had to earn their keep, with working for the circus cleaning, washing, cooking and setting up for poor money. Among them were robots, also working hard, only they didn't get paid of course. They were created by Hamegg himself most of the time, sometimes purchased when the crowds were low. Hamegg was cruel to the robots, befriending them when they first came there and getting them to stay by wrapping their necks with control collars, then whipping them with an electrocuting lash at any rebellion. Cora and the others kids had thought this was unacceptable when young, but now, growing up around it, they sometimes even laughed when a robot got a good beating. She played the drill like to all new robots.

"Oh, he runs the greatest Robot Circus around! That's where we are taking you."

The robot shuffled on his feet. "Circus? Uhhh, I'm not sure I want to go…"

Zane frowned at Cora. It was the first time a robot had disagreed to him, too. Cora gave him a calm expression to show it was alright and that he wasn't broken. She took the robots hand. "It's fine! We insist, it's a great place! But we have to go now, or it will be dark and we'll get lost, okay?" she tugged on his arm.

"OWW!" he yelped. Cora immediately dropped his arm. It fell against his side, dangling like a dead animal. The robot boy stared at his dead limb, trying to lift it. Cora reached forward and gently lifted it. The boy's face turned to fear. "Don't…tug it…"

"You can't move it at all?" she asked.

"I don't…think so…" Cora glanced at Zane.

"Reno will fix him. You'll be okay." He comforted.

The robot shakily nodded, though obviously not knowing who this 'Reno' fellow was. Cora smiled and started walking in the opposite direction, headed for the circus grounds. Zane jumped after, following her. He turned his head and waved his arm to the robot boy.

"Come on! Follow us!"

Holding his arm, the robot steadily ran up to the two teens, following close behind.

* * *

><p>Zane looked back to the boy robot, traveling with head down in thought. He leaned over to Cora's ear. "So, what do you think he was used for?"<p>

"Don't you mean what 'it' was used for?" she corrected.

"Oh, come on! He can pass as a human any day." She looked back to the boy.

He _was_ very freakishly human. Such a trick to the illusion of the eye, it could fool the magician.

She shrugged, pretending not to feel in any way interested or even that touch of fear.

"I don't know. Maybe a house bot?"

"A house bot that answers back?" he shook his head. He turned to the robot boy. "Hey! Your falling behind, buddy!"

The boy robot still stepped with a heavy foot, head still down. Zane looked to Cora. "_And_ doesn't respond all together?"

"Well, go see what's wrong," she suggested.

She looked to the sun as they reached the top of an extremely steep junk mound. It traveled upwards, then went along in an act as a wall. This was called the Surface Ridge. The sun was getting disturbingly low, a third of it already on its way to bring light somewhere else unknown. "We don't have time, he's slowing us down." Zane sighed, annoyed, and fell back to the boy robot. He walked alongside him.

"Hey…" he called.

Still no answer.

The robot still had his head low, a troubled expression on his face. Zane arched over and waved his arm in front of him. "Hellooooo? Anybody in there?" The robot boy finally lifted his head to Zane.

Zane felt startled. The expression on the robots face showed fear, confusion, trouble ness, clueless ness and grief. Zane had never seen such an expression on a machine's face. It freaked him out a little, actually. He started feeling…_sorry _for the robot?

_Stop it Zane. Don't get sucked in, it's just a machine. _He cleared his throat. "Um, you got a name?" The robot opened his mouth to answer, but Cora took care of it.

"He can't remember." She called back. He looked up at Cora, then back down to the ground.

"What's wrong?" Zane said. He never thought he'd ever say _that_ to a robot. The boy sighed.

"Robots…" Zane eyed him to continued. But the boys mouth closed.

"Yeeeahhhh, robots. You." The boy robot frowned he said this. He shook his head. Zane scoffed.

"No, that's what you are," he said, laughing at the robots uncertain nature. Cora couldn't help but join the conversation, slowing down to stride next to them. She looked up at Zane and nudged her head to signal that Zane could run ahead. He smiled and sprinted off. Cora shoved her hands in her pockets; it was getting cold. She exhaled a long sigh, her breath coming out as a white-gray misty cloud. She looked at the boy and smiled. She nudged his shoulder, very lightly noticing it was his dead one.

"We can find you a name. What about…something human, like-"

"I'm human," the robot suddenly said plainly.

Cora frowned. Was it possible this robot was made to _believe_ it was human? She knew up in Metro City robots were getting advanced, but…would they be making sibling robots? Child robots? She stared to notice if this fact was true, then they had probably confused him dreadfully, treating him like any other old robot instead of a kid.

She tried to look at him face but he firmly faced the ground. "Look… I don't know what may have happened to you in Metro City, but you have to accept what you are. You _are_ a robot." He took a difficult breath and shook his head.

"I-I-I…"

"So, a name… something that suits you." She looked at him. He raised his head a little to her and she rubbed her chin in thought. "Hmmm…Tom?" Zane heard this up ahead and let out a laugh.

"Are you serious?" Cora scowled and put her hands on her hips.

"Well, you come up with something then!" she yelled in response.

"Why are you trying to find a name for it anyway?"

"Do you have any suggestions or not?" she snapped. Zane started walking backwards and thought for a while. The robot looked over to him with an arch of an apprehensive brow.

"Umm…Kennich?" Cora looked to the robot, who only found the bravery in him to shake his head timidly.

"Finn?" He shook his head once again.

"Fussy much…" Cora smiled as Zane scratched his shaggy hair. "Mika? Kent?"

The boy rejected each suggestion. Zane sighed and tapped his head a little as he said his last answer.

"Tobi?"

The boy robots' head suddenly jolted up. His eyes were wide, and a black expression was swiped across his face. Cora and Zane both stopped. Cora walked in front of him.

"Hello?"

The robots face still didn't flinch. His eyes then started to turn blue. Cora leaned closer. His eyes glowed, blue shining out of the usually hazel brown. It glowed on and off, on and off, flashing for some unknown reason. Cora waved her hand in his face.

"Um, Zane…we have a problem…"

Zane ran up to her and stared at the robot with dismay. "Is he broken?" he asked. Cora shrugged and looked at him with concern.

"Was it something I said?" he joked. But Cora didn't take it that way.

"What if it _was_?"

Zane frowned. "What?"

"Tobi…" Cora said to herself.

Just to make matters worse, they suddenly heard a dreadfully familiar voice from behind them.

"THOUGHT YOU COULD ESCAPE US THAT EASILY, NOW DID YOU?"

Cora and Zane's eyes widened and they slowly turned to each other.

"Is that…?" Zane whimpered.

"I think it is…"

They both slowly turned to where the angry robotic voice was coming from, to look up to the Scavengers, fuming.

"GIVE US BACK THE ROBOT!" Tails yelled in her annoying Texas accent. Cora looked back to the seemingly unconscious robot boy and frowned in determination.

"Over my dead body!"

Zane jolted his head to her in confusion and concern. "ARE YOU CRAZY?" he screeched. Cora looked to Zane and then back to the Scavengers, sliding the trusty spanner from her belt with a smile.

"Maybe so…"

the Scavengers walked forward. Aim could be seen loading his arm cannon, the metal clanks clicking and sliding. Who knows what he has jammed in their today. Aim thought it would be silly to fill a tennis shooter with tennis balls when he could fill it with knifes, magnets, bombs, cutlery and even other small guns just for fun. Blue stepped forward, a scowl across his face, but still with that tinge of glee.

"Well…your body will be dead soon, I can tell you that now!" Blue yelled to them.

Tails charged forward in a screaming rage. Cora held her spanner up like a bat. As Tails reached forward to grab her, Cora swung her spanner with all her might and slammed it across her head with a groan of determination.

"ARRRG!"

Tails stepped back in anger, one clunky arm held up to her right eye, which was probably now shattered.

"Woo! Go Cora!" Zane stupidly yelled out. All the Scavengers looked to him. His smile slid from his face and he took a step back. "Ohhh, shit…"

Blue got comfortable as his dogs did the work for him, Grip going for Zane and Aim running up to Cora for a fight. Grasp reached out for a try to grab hold of Zane's shirt, Zane arching his body down low.

"WHOA!"

Grasp pulled his arm back and scowled, swiping across the ground. His metal arm swept under Zane's feet, knocking him out of balance. But before he could fall, Grasp took hold of his jeans and flipped him upside down. Zane looked to Grasp's face, the French mustache almost shining from the last bit of sun reflecting on the black metal. He chuckled evilly.

"You zittle rat…" he insulted, lifting his other hand to Zane's face. With a '_shing'_ from the sound of steel against steel, a small knife shot out from the top of his index finger. "Zet's make your faze more likeable, hmm?"

With another evil snicker he moved the knife closer and closer to Zane's cheek. Zane's eyes widened and he thrashed his arms around.

"Let go of me you bloody-!" Grasp shoved the knife forward as a threat, and Zane fell silent, gulping in fear.

Aim punched for Cora's head, but she swiftly ducked and jabbed the spanner in the wheel he used to move. She stepped back as Aim came crashing down to the ground with an echoing clash of rotten rust. Loopy then leapt forward, swinging his old lasso. Cora looked around the ground, now noticing she had no weapon. Blue grinned at this.

"Kill her," he said simply, and Loopy obeyed. Or, at least, _attempted_ to. He swung the lasso at great speed, and Cora even heard the air getting thrown aside as it went charging for her head. The thing about Loopy, is that his aim was, well… _loopy_. The lasso went to the left much too far, and Cora easily dodged it, stepping light-footed to the right. The robot didn't make any noise of frustration, not like it could, a part of the artificial intelligence had malfunctioned a while back. Cora looked up at its blank face, one eye slowly moving to the right. The glassy white reflected Cora as she arched her back and leapt over another punch Loopy shot at her stomach. She landed with a slight stumble.

Grasp dropped Zane painfully on the hard metal, then yanked him up by his shaggy blue hair and dragging him over to Blue. The lazy robot looked to Zane, his eyes stinging from holding back tears and staggering as the hold on his scalp tightened. Blue simply gave Grasp a nod, and looked to the fight with Loopy and Cora.

"Wait till they retrieve the girl. They shall die together."

Loopy kicked for Cora's shin and she jumped to avoid it, thrusting her fist forward and punching him square in the chin.

"FIGHT, CORA!" Zane encouraged, only to be welcomed by Grasp clicking out his small hand knife and slicing his cheek. Zane hissed in pain as he felt his own warm blood trickle down his neck and along the edge of his bottom lip. Grasp loosened his grip a little, chuckling to himself. As Loopy and Cora continued to equally give each other punches and kicks, Blue suddenly remembered the reason they were fighting in the first place. He stood up and looked behind Cora's leaping body to see it.

The goal.

The prize.

The robot.

He was still frozen on the spot with a startled expression, his eyes flashing on and off with the same shining blue glow. Blue looked to Aim, sprawled on the junk, and then to Tails, still cursing the girl and holding her broken eye. Blue held his arm out and slammed her on the back of the head. Tails looked angrily to him.

"HEY! WHAT GIVES?" Blue growled.

"Go get the target!" he yelled in her face.

Zane yelled out as Grasp slowly buried the knife into the teen's wrist, purely for the fun of it. More blood dribbled, soaking his brown leather jacket to a deep red stain. Tails tilted her head.

"Huh?"

Blue scowled and a tad bit of steam sizzled from his ears. "THE ROBOT YOU DUMBASS!"

Tails nodded quickly and removed her hand from her eye, exposing the now broken glass. She stepped forward towards the fight.

"LOOPY!" Blue addressed. Loopy, in the middle of giving Cora a painful punch to the chest, stupidly looked up to him. Cora jumped up with a battle scream and sliced her hand down on Loopy's shoulder, the robot stumbling back. Blue sighed and shook his head. "Just hold the girl STILL! God, really…"

He walked up to Aim and hauled him up by the arm, jerking the spanner from his wheel at the same time. Finally being able to move and glad of it, Aim started to angrily charge over to Cora, but Blue held him back.

"Get her over with the male. No killing-"

"_What_?" Aim raged. He badly wanted revenge on this girl. But Blue only smiled slyly.

"_Yet_."

Aim smiled with him and rolled up to help Loopy capture the difficult human.

Tails approached the un-reacting robot boy. She leaned close to his dumb-founded face, the blue light reflecting from his eyes onto her own plain white ones.

"Whaa?" she asked casually. "You not here? You off in your own world?" The boy robot remained un-responsive. Tails grinned and shoved his shoulder. But the robot didn't even flinch in the slightest. With a frown Tails then tried to push it back. He still firmly held its ground. Leaning with all her body weight on him, Tails scraped her feet on the Surface junk and pushed to somehow move the robot, but he still remained planted and still. "Why…won't you…_move_?" she growled angrily.

"TAKE THIS YOU ROTTEN PIECE OF RUST!" Cora yelled, grabbing the robot's wrist and twisting it, stepping behind him and tugging it down. With a wrenched screech from Loopy the rusted metal groaned against the pressure and snapped. Cora let go, the hand falling to the ground. She smiled and stepped back, only to bump into a furious Aim. Cora tried to sprint off, but she was too slow. Aim grabbed her shoulders and kept a firm grip, despite the furious kicking from Cora.

"Let me go! LET _GO_!" she screamed.

"That would be quite enough, young lady," Blue ordered.

He looked at Aim and nudged his head over to Zane and Grasp. The house bot nodded and rolled over to stand next to Grasp, Cora dragging her legs on the scrap metal as much as possible. Soon, Aim and Grasp were side by side with the two captives in their filthy, rusting hands, with Loopy behind and Blue treading back and forth in front of them with hands behind back.

"So, you thought you could escape me _that_ easily, did you?"

"Pretty much." Cora answered casually. Blue snickered.

"You are defeated, girl! Held against your will and still got your _annoying_ attitude!"

"Annoying? Wow, that's a _big_ word for you," she sarcastically praised. Blue stopped dead in his tracks and sharply turned to her, a scowl on his face.

"I so happen to be quite smart, unlike you!"

Cora diverted her eyes to behind Blue. Her eyes quickly widened and her mouth opened in a gasp.

"OH MY GOD THE ROBOT BOY'S MOVING!"

"WHAT?" Blue turned to Tails and the robot boy. Tails was still trying to move it, though now it seemed she was just using it as a leaning post. Blue glared and looked back to Cora who was smiling and shaking her head.

"You dumbass…"

Zane worried his bottom lip between his teeth.

The steam once again shot out of Blue's ears and he forcefully treaded over to the cheeky girl. He leaned down close to her smirking face.

"_You_…_little_…"

Cora's face dropped into determination.

"What? Say it," she dared.

Zane twisted and turned with agony and impatience. At times like this he wished he could be a little more heroic, like Cora, and look fear in the eye and hold his pride.

Blue's head shot up to Loopy.

"Loopy! Come hold this little sweet heart while Aim does something that will help all of us," he ordered. Loopy slumbered over to Cora. Aim let go of her shoulders, and Cora went to run before Loopy swung his handless arm under her chin into a strangling head lock. Scraping at the gray metal, Cora gasped out,

"And what would that something be?" Blue grinned.

"Death time!"

Zane gasped and looked to Cora. Her eyes stung with tears at the word and the thought of death, but she kept her calm mask. She stopped struggling and looked up at the grinning Blue.

"Anything to get away from your stench…" she muttered.

With a growl Blue looked to Aim, who was supposed to be loading his cannon but was instead scanning the ground. Blue sighed.

"What _are_ you looking for?" he growled.

"Ammo. I need ammo…" Aim explained.

Blue looked around for his eyes to lay upon the spanner Cora had used to defend herself. With a grin he reached out and snatched it up, chucking it to Aim.

"Death by the hero's weapon. Oh, it's _just_ _too dramatic__!_"

"Kill me!" Zane yelled out. Cora looked to him and shook her head, the wateriness of her eyes much more clearer. "Don't kill Cora! Kill me instead!"

Blue paid barley any attention to his cries.

"Wait your turn, boy."

The other robots snickered. Aim went in front of Cora, holding up his arm cannon to her face.

Cora's heart raced.

Her heart slowed.

Until she felt like it had stopped altogether.

Aim loaded his arm, much more slowly for fear effect, the bolts sliding and scraping against each other until Cora heard a sharp **CLICK**.

"Bon buoyage, little girl…"

The last thing Cora heard was the explosion of the cannon, the surprised yelling of Tails behind them and a large **CLANK**.

Then nothing.

But not the _dead_ nothing. Her eyes were squeezed closed, she was holding her breath and her ears were popped from the magnitude of the cannon firing.

_Isn't their supposed to be __**pain**__? Why can I feel my heart, climbing up my throat? _Truth be told, Cora felt more _alive_ than dead. _Is this death? Am I dead? What are those voices?_

Slowly, Cora opened her eyes, and started to breathe again. No-one was holding her shoulders anymore and she slowly rolled them back in glee. Her ears faded back to normal but no-one was talking anymore, silence strangling the air. She looked ahead of her. All she saw was black.

"W…what…?" She lifted her hand to the blackness and reached forward. But instead of the black being the atmosphere in front of her, her finger tips hit something solid. "Huh…?" She quickly got her senses together and stepped to the side, to come next to Zane, who had also been released. She looked around her, finally understanding the situation. Blue was standing in front of everyone as usual, but with a shocked expression on his face.

The robot boy, without a scratch, was where Cora should have been cold and dead.

Aim was standing right in front of him, his arm cannon still held high to his face.

Zane grasped Cora's wrist and she moved her hand to hang onto his, her eyes never leaving the scene. The robot glanced down to the bent spanner on the ground, then looked back up to Aim. Almost at the same time, all the Scavengers shook the shocked expression off their faces and looked at the robot with a scowl.

"KILL HIM!" Blue yelled.

Aim nodded, swiping down to the ground to pick up few nuts and bolts, shoving them into his tennis shooter arm. While he was reloading, Loopy and Grasp came up behind the boy and grabbed for his shoulders. The boy robot simply grabbed both their hands with his one good arm and looked to them.

"Eh?" they both exchanged a worried look as the boy threw them over him, slamming them onto the hard ground with a small groan. Zane and Cora didn't know whether to gasp, laugh or smile uncontrollably. So they did them all. The robot then approached Blue. Before he could attack, Aim shot three rounds of fire blazing bolts at him. The boy swiftly lifted his arm up and let the bolts smash into his strong skin, making not as much as a scratch.

"Go Tobi!" Zane yelled.

Cora punched him on the shoulder.

"Don't say that! What if he freezes again?"

They watched back to the robot boy as he ran up and grabbed hold of Aim's arm cannon, pulling it to the ground and stepping on the joint that connects it to the arm. With a mighty tug the arm cannon tore like paper. Aim screamed, grasping his torn wrist.

Zane glanced at Cora with a smirk.

"Or just make him stronger."

They went silent for a second, looking over to the fight. They smiled at each other.

"GO, TOBI, GO!"

The robot elbowed Aim in the chest, leaving a deep dent and then blew a massive punch to his face. His fist went straight through the rusted metal, making Cora's breath hitch in her throat. As the robot boy slowly removed his hand, Aim fell limp, his face nothing but broken in metal.

Blue stepped back, and anyone could see the fear in his eyes. He looked over his shoulder to Tails who was wide-eyed.

"Well? GET HIM!"

He surprisingly kept his voice stern and filled with power. Tails took action, racing towards the boy robot at full mechanic speed. As she dashed past Blue, the boy spun as she reached him, taking hold of her left shoulder. As his fingers locked the metal gave way under his strength. With an impressive throw with only a small groan as a sign of difficulty, the robot boy threw Tails up in the air and off the face of the Surface Ridge. Tails screamed as she went flying down to her death, the boy robot giving nothing as less than a small glance down. Blue looked around him to see if any more of his dogs could help him in any way.

"Loopy? Grasp?"

This time his voice was trembling and broke. But loopy and Grasp had done the smart thing-

They had fled.

Looking frighteningly up as the boy took a step towards him, Blue turned and ran as well. He kept on running until his frightened, raspy breath had faded into the cool breezes of the night air. Zane and Cora looked to the robot, just standing there with its eyes glowing, looking a tad bit disappointed, like someone had taken away his toys.

_This tiny robot boy just saved us. And a second ago he was, as it seemed, broken. AND ALL WITH ONE ARM, and killing TWO. Heck, he could have killed them __**all**__ if he wanted to, and- scary to think- it looked like it did._

Cora couldn't help herself think out loud,

"What have I _found_?"


	2. The Eyes Have It

A boxer might have punched his fist in the air. A warrior might have yelled out a battle scream to his army. A Gladiator may have cheered for his people and thrust his weapon above his head in triumph.

So what does this mighty savior do?

Well…he fainted.

With a slight glance over to Cora, the robot's eyes sunk up and he collapsed.

"Whoa!" Zane ran up to the limp body, Cora following. They kneeled down beside it.

Putting the unconscious dilemma aside, Cora grinned. She looked up to Zane and noticed he was grinning too. The moment was strange- they had just almost got killed, yet the thought that they were saved by this child like robot was just…_hilarious_. Zane started laughing a bit and Cora joined. Soon, they were both laughing hysterically, keeling over from the pain and joy the sensation caused them.

Cora gasped in a breath.

"Why are you laughing?" she asked, a tear rolling down her face. Zane just shook his head and looked down to the robot with an exhausted sigh.

"We almost got killed…" he muttered, his tone quickly dying down. Cora coughed and joined his change of mood.

"Yep," she agreed.

"Almost got our ass' kicked."

"Spanked."

"Screwed."

"What?"

They suddenly looked down to the boy as his eyes slowly opened. They both jolted back, Zane arranging himself into a squatting position.

"Hey, would you look at that…" he beamed. The boy groaned and moved his arm to wipe the sleep from his face and lifted his upper-body up. Cora put her hand on his back to steady him.

"You okay?" she asked. She noticed herself starting to forget he was a robot again, but after that fight, nothing could be greater than her caution. The robot boy looked around to the sky which was turning to a shade of dark purple, and then looked to Aim, destroyed and lying flat on the metal. His eyebrows raised.

"WHOA. What happened?" Cora and Zane's mouths dropped open.

"YOU DON'T KNOW?" Zane asked.

"Should I?"

"_YES_!" they both said together. An expression of complete confusion swept over the boy's face like a clouding fog. Cora sighed and pointed to Aim.

"You see that there?" she asked.

"Uh, yeah?" he answered, and she could tell he was starting to question their mental health. She stopped for a second.

"Don't talk to me in that tone." She scolded. The boy looked shocked at first, like someone had just told him to cut off his own leg. But he nodded never the less.

"That there," she said again, gesturing to the dead machine. "_You_ did that." His eyes widened.

"Wait…_what_?" Zane nodded.

"You froze, and then we were about to get killed by the Scavengers-"

"-Those five that were attacking you when we met," Cora added in.

"Yeah well, that dead robot there was Aim, and he was about to shoot Cora when you zoomed up in front of her and then the spanner broke and you kicked butt and you threw Tails over the edge, ripped apart Aim and sent the others fleeing, all with one arm! You were amazing!"

The robot leaned back, almost exhausted by the story. "Oh! And then you fainted." Zane chirped in. There was a moment of silence before the boy spoke.

"What made me freeze?" he asked quietly. Zane and Cora looked to each other.

"Can we tell him?" Zane asked.

"What if he freezes again?"

Cora warned. Zane looked to the robot.

"Promise us you won't freeze again." Cora and the boy's eyebrow raised, but he agreed.

"I'll try my best."

"Okay…so do you remember we were telling you names?" Cora asked. He nodded.

"Well, Zane said…" she took a breath. "…Tobi, as a suggestion." The boy's eyes went wide.

"Tobi…" he echoed.

"Oh, good! You didn't freeze…" Zane muttered.

"Does the name mean anything to you?" It took a while before there was an answer.

"I'm not very sure. It sounds familiar, but… I can't remember…" Cora stood, dusting off her pant legs.

"Well, as soon as we get to the circus, Reno can fix your arm, and maybe your memory as well. Come on, our necks are dead as it is."

"I agree." Zane said, standing as well. The robot quickly climbed up to his knees.

"Wait, wait, wait…" he interrupted the departure. They looked towards him, Zane hopping over with bag around shoulder to Cora. "S-so…I killed two robots?" They nodded. He quickly darted his head to Cora. "You were about to get shot?"

Cora shuffled on the spot. "Can we just go now? It's almost midnight and we should have arrived at the circus over three hours ago." She growled, Zane already starting to walk ahead. The robot's eyes looked a little puppy dog like, a power she hadn't seen used by other robots. She shook her head and started down along the hard metal Ridge.

The boy got onto wobbly feet and looked to the ground, feeling there was practically nothing he could do to get this girl's acceptance. He might as well be a mere puppy, attached to the end of her leash. He sighed and rubbed his sore arm. Cora squeezed her eyes closed to stop the temptation, but turned back to the robot. She coughed a little to get his attention, and it worked, the robot's head jolting up.

"Um…do you still want to come?" she asked, her usual strong, confident voice falling down to a sincere ballad tone. He smiled for the first time since they met and nodded, running up to walk alongside her.

The night was getting bristle and chilly, and Zane and Cora rubbed their shoulders to keep warm against the grasping clutches of the freezing winds. They had told the curious robot, as much as he believed to be true, the battle against the Scavengers. They still showed no signs of friends ship, simply telling him the facts and mostly kidding around with each other, joking and teasing on how scared they looked and so on.

"You were _crying_!" Zane said, pushing Cora a little to the side.

"Hey! I was about to _die_! You were the one that _wanted_ to!" she returned the shove. He laughed.

"I would call it an act of heroics." He said boldly.

"Pfft, yeah right."

"Yeah, I know I'm right…"

"Shut up, glory hound."

"Where is this circus?" the robot butted in. They looked back to him.

"Well…" Cora looked around.

They were halfway around the Surface Ridge. The sky was now a deep violet to black; luckily the moon was bright, so they had a bit of light. But still not enough.

"Zane, you gotta map?" Zane searched in his many pockets until he felt the heavy paper. He pulled it out and un-folded it, Cora standing closer to examine it with him.

"Well, the Ridge is along here, and the circus is in Sunset City this month, so if we…" Zane's words were taken by the wind and he gulped. "Oh boy…"

The robot popped his head up. "Is there a problem?"

Cora saw were Zane was pointing and her eyes widened too. She groaned in annoyance and gave her friend a shove. "You _idiot_! Why didn't you get the map out from the start?!"

Zane growled. "Hey! You didn't think to mention it ether!" he argued.

Cora just let out another moan and coved her face with her hands. The robot walked around and looked at the map that Zane was scowling at, like it was a horrid bug ready to sting. He tried to read it, but the small moon was suddenly hid behind a huge group of dark clouds and the light was gone from the land.

Cora looked around. "Great. Just great!"

All the robot and Zane could hear was her voice.

"What's wrong?" the robot asked.

"Wrong turn…" Zane said. They could hear Cora sharply turn in their direction.

"_Wrong turn_?" she growled. "We went completely the wrong way!"

"Shut up, Cora! We'll figure this out, okay?"

"Oh? We're just gonna figure things out, are we? Well you can say that when we're cold and dead, lost in the middle of the Surface Waste Lands!" Zane walked towards her voice, leaving the map in the robot boy's good hand.

"Arguing, isn't going to help!"

"Neither is the dark! What are we gonna do?"

While the two teens fought, the robot looked down to where the map should be. He concentrated. He concentrated his eyes very hard, staring into the black nothingness. He wasn't sure exactly why, and hesitated for a second, blinking and looking away. But something told him to not give up.

"We'll…we'll ask for help." Zane suggested. Cora shook her head, but then remembered her body language couldn't be seen and quickly answered with a simple,

"No."

"Why not?"

She sighed.

"Zane, there's no one out here and we won't survive the night!" she cried.

"Why not?!"

"Well, for starters it's the middle of winter, so we'll freeze. Or…well, how long since your last meal?" Zane's stomach rumbled as an answer. "Exactly. Also we could badly injure ourselves, even fall off this Ridge. And then there are other robots out their like the Scavengers!" Zane scoffed.

"Our robot will take them on!" Even as he heard this, the boy robot kept his stare in the map.

"What if that was the one chance that happened?" Cora's voice was quivering with fear. "We can't make him freeze again, the last time he rescued me at the last second. What if he's a few seconds short next time?"

Suddenly a brilliant bright blue light shone out of the robot's eyes, erupting blindingly on the now visible map. He jolted back a little, smiling. Cora and Zane looked towards it, startled. The boy looked towards them, his eyes shining on their faces. They were quick to shield their faces with their arms.

"HEY!"

The robot focused and the light faded down. Zane strode up to him with a grin. "Awesome!" he cheered, snatching up the map. The boy scratched the back of his neck meekly.

"I'm not sure why, or how I did it…" he mumbled.

"Programming." Cora answered. He looked up at her and in the light he saw tear tracks down her cheeks and noticed she must've been crying out of distress. She cleared her throat. "Most robots have the programming so they have to assist a human in any way. Mostly it's house bots. Maybe that's what you are."

"Bloody strong one, I'll give him that!" Zane chuckled, tugging on the robot's hair.

"I guess that officially means we own you now," Cora said with a bit of a shrug.

"Cool!" Zane cheered. The boy looked up to her, his lights still shining but getting lower.

"What?"

"Well, each robot has an owner and they will do anything to protect them. They won't do exactly the same to anyone else. So, considering what you've done so far, your ours."

He looked a little disturbed, as if how dare she claim such a fact. Cora leveled a glare on him and he quickly avoided eye contact.

"And no better robot to have, in my opinion," Zane beamed. "The others will get _so_ jealous! Did you see the one Liza-Bell found? Ha! She thought _that_ was the best one!" Cora and Zane huddled next to each other to examine the map.

"If we go here…" Zane thought, running his fingertips along the different roads of the Surface Waste Lands. The robot took a deep breath.

"Just a robot…" He mumbled. Cora shot her hand up.

"Shhh. Shine your eye lights over here, will ya?" She said it as a question, but the robot knew it was a command. It sent his mind reeling in irritation.

_I don't need to follow every direction they give me_, the robot thought to himself. _'__**Your**__**robot**__' this!_

He immediately switched his eye lights off and the night once again swallowed the trio. He could hear desperate shuffling in front of him. "What? Hey!" Cora screeched.

"Hey! Turn the lights back on!" Zane yelped in distress.

The freezing winds started to pick up and the map got snatched out of Cora's hand by the sudden gust. She blinded looked around and reached out to grab it, succeeding in only clutching air. She started taking baby steps to where the map took off.

"Cora-?" she heard Zane call, trying to find some sort of direction.

"Robot! Turn your eye lights back on!" Cora screamed, tripping over a rusted car tire. The robot glanced around to the noises with a grin on his face that would never be discovered. He remained silent. Cora landed on her knees and gladly picked up a new tactic of crawling.

"Cora! Where are you?"

"I've lost the map!" She spread out her arms in all directions.

Little did she know she was coming dreadfully close to the edge of the Ridge…

Zane stumbled across to grab onto the robot's sleeve. Grasping it desperately, he pulled close and violently tapped on the robot's metal skull. "LIGHTS!" he yelled in his face. Another unwanted gust sent the pair falling down by Cora.

They both grunted, adapting like Cora and searching on their hands and knees, no more better than three blind mice. The robot took no intention in helping, but was forced to travel where ever Zane wish as he grabbed firmly on his sleeve.

"I still can't find the map!" Cora yelled out. Hearing her voice close, Zane reached out and found her ankle. A high pitched gasp came, then a hand came down and grabbed his. "Zane!" she cried in relief.

"Yeah, I'm here," he comforted. "I got the robot, I think he's shut down or something's snapped."

More strong winds picked up and they struggled to pull all of them together until they were a huddling mess: Zane griping Cora, Cora griping Zane and the robot kneeling close by. This was some entertainment for the boy and he gratefully waited for what would happen next.

Little did he know he wouldn't soon be as grateful.

The moon finally showed its self, spilling out much welcomed pale auras of light. Cora and Zane exhaled a sigh as if they were forced to hold their breaths for the whole desperate time. They looked around and their eyes widened, as well as the robot's.

This was _not_ what he wanted.

They were _inches_ away from falling off the Ridge's edge. Zane jolted back with a screech, but soon settled as tiny clunks of metal rustled out and fell, only small 'pings' echoing as they dipped into the darkness below.

**Gulp.**

"Now what?" Cora quivered.

"S-slowly…make our w-way…back…"

Both of them, still clammy hand in hand not daring to let go and Zane still clinging onto the robot's sleeve, inched their way back to steady grounds.

"Hey!" Zane whispered to the robot. He looked at him, petrified. "Oh, _now_ your responding!"

"Stop talking!" Cora hissed, slipping out of Zane's hand and making her way onto her palms and knees. Zane and the robot stayed put until she was steadied. Zane was exploding with fear and anxiousness, he couldn't bear the thought of her, his best friend, falling.

The moon once again was blocked by clouds, and that desperately needed blue light faded out. "I want to MURDER that sky…" Cora mumbled. The robot didn't even think to turn his eye lights on, too engraved with the girls 'could be fatal' movements. When she was just getting to stable ground, her knee met a particularly slippery surface of an old gum ball dispenser machine. "Oh _shi_-"

She screamed as she went tumbling backwards. Nausea flooded her and the shot of undesired thrill as she felt the air around her swoop as she fell.

_I'm going to die. I can't die! And all because of a stupid robot!_

The robot was rushed with alert and snapped on his eye lights, showing the horrifying scene clearly. Zane darted forward as if he had just sat on a pin, grasping her hand and leaning all the way back, sending Cora to land on top of him with a grunt.

He muffled out complaints as her hair filled his mouth. Cora just lay there, motionless and breathing a hundred miles per hour. He pushed her tense body off to lay beside him. She caught up with her breath and looked around. They were back were they started.

Stuck.

"Well…that was a good look…" the flustered teen muttered. Cora's fear then twisted to rage. She snapped her head to the robot.

"_You!_" she screamed.

Zane looked to her.

"Shhh, calm down…"

"You little son of a _bitch_! I COULD HAVE DIED!"

She started to sit up, causing more lone bolts and a hairdryer to fall into the plunging darkness. The robot boy meekly looked up to her with his glowing eyes, guilt across his face.

"Why did you turn your eye lights off?! _Some joke_?!"

He gulped as she spoke the truth. Zane tried an effort to calm her down once more as more debris fell and as she stupidly tried to stand.

"I _swear_ that when we get to the circus," she warned in a growl, her sense lost and getting to her knees, leaning over a terrified Zane.

"I shall personally make sure you get _such a beating from Hamegg_,"

The robot glanced down to a patch of crumbling Surface she was upon. It was slowly breaking as she moved. He pointed with caution.

"Uh…."

"You will wish you were never made! YOU STUPID,"

"But-"

"SELFISH,"

"The-"

"IGNORANT,"

"You better-"

"LITTLE-"

"CORA!"

Zane yelped as the ground could hold no more. It crumbled and broke apart, Cora glancing down with a scowl. The anger once again turned to fear.

She reached out for Zane as she started to fall, but the ground beneath him broke as well. They looked horror stricken at each other. Cora fell, and Zane reached out and grabbed her hand. As he started to fall as well, he grabbed out to the robots sleeve.

"HELP-!"

But it was too late.

Those words were that last ones before the night was filled with screams, as the robot got pulled with them and they all went plunging down.

**Down**…

**Down**…

The moon light glistened out once again, but not even that could clear the sight of the sea of black as Cora's eyes looked frighteningly down. And then squeezed shut tight.


	3. The Outskirts

A new day bloomed in the shallow Out Skirts of the Waste Lands.

The sunlight stabbed through the musky clouds, and warm breezes filled the damp gray air. Out Skirts was the fine line between the land of junk and where growth finally kicked in, it having an unusual combination of rusted metal among sweet clumps of grass, shrubs and orange wild flowers. A large mound of debris here and there, but it was rather a beautiful place. Well, a rotting carcass would be beautiful compared to the Waste Lands.

In Out Skirts, many have adapted to living there and they're many towns and small villages scattered along the quiet land, before it transformed into dense forest.

One town called Autumn was waking to the day. The houses were nothing much, having a rusted old appearance, but had a strong sturdy feel to them. They were tall and twisted in shape, many to a family and one small house to many, and only about five of the quirky structures filling the town, in the center a huge maple tree. To match the name and leaves, the houses were painted mostly reds and brandy oranges, or not needing to because of such rich rust.

A small girl ran over to the roots of the arching old tree, to a small wildflower which a Monarch butterfly had chosen as a perch and snack. The girl's flowing white and pink dress rippled along with her, her bright orange hair sliding over her freckled face and piercing blue eyes.

With a high pitched giggle she slowed to a stop and squatted down to the flower, the butterfly paying no attention to its' fan. The odd branches seemed to reach down to her with every small breeze, as if wanting a precious hug from the child. Of course, it barely got one. Her breath made the flower sway until the Monarch's oversized body made it bend, and took off. Another laugh echoed through the village as the girl jumped to her feet and took chase. She stumbled past her own home, a woman standing under the small shade of a splotchy balcony.

"Don't go too far, Lillyian!" she called, rubbing her swollen belly gently.

She was a gorgeous woman, her apple cheeks very rosy and full of freckles like her daughter and pale green eyes. She wore a blue tank top with a withered white garden patterned shawl around her arms, flowing in the breeze. She breathed in.

Peace.

To make the moment, a middle aged man stepped out from the house, his footsteps leaving squeaks behind him. He smiled at the woman, leaning over and stroking her pale forehead. She hung an arm around his shoulder, ruffling his brown shaggy hair. He leaned forward and planted a small kiss on her lips before both of them turning to little Lillyian, the man standing behind and grasping her hand as she rubbed her belly with a grin.

"But I want to be friends!" the girl gasped as she leapt for the butterfly for the third attempt to catch it. The Monarch swooped low, and then out of grasp, as if playing her games. The parents chuckled, sharing another small kiss.

"Maybe he already has friends, sweetie!" the man called out. The girl pouted to him and put her hands on her hips with a '_are you_ _serious'_ look.

"_Daaaaaad_! It's a GIRL!"

She huffed off. The couple laughed and watched Lillyian disappear around a large junk mound.

"She's such a sweet girl…" the wife whispered back.

"Gets it from me." She chuckled.

"Uh-huh."

"Should we called her back?" he asked. The woman spun around to face him.

"Look who's the cautious one now?" she said with a grin.

"Remember last time she came back with a live toad?" he said.

They both took a slight moment of silence to remember that wet soggy day, and then laughed at the thought of that poor, _poor_ toad.

"Yes!" she laughed. "Who _knows_ what she'll find today…"

Humming a nonsense tune to herself, Lillyian happily pranced among the spiky bushed and tossed out junk. She started to wonder into more densely polluted grounds, until coming to a final stop at the end of the Waste Lands. At least seven mounds surrounded her before the ground started to be covered in junk, the shrubs and grass being swallowed up by the hungry metal.

She bended down low to examine a lone Dandelion, the song still sounding from her lips, making up words as she went. It isn't un-common to see children singing what they are doing, it seems to keep them all the more in their own world. Makes you think of the genius you once were, before you got an education.

"_A little dandelion, swaying in the_ _breeze…what will I find today? What will I find today…_" feeling the soft powdery petals with fingertips, the girl looks up and glances around in thought. She lowered her voice to a whisper. The entire world is silent.

"_What shall I find today? What? What? What?_..."

**RUSTLE**.

A sliding junk sound went off, near. As if waiting for the cue, Lillyian leapt up, plucking the Dandelion from the ground. She raced over to where the sound came from, until she came to the foot one of the biggest mounds. She was cast in shadow, as she looked up to the top of the mound, clutching the yellow flower close. "_I ran, I ran, up to a mound…I wait, I wait…for another sound…_"

"_SSSSS…_"

A strange hissing sound came. Lillyian glanced up to the top of the mound. There, sleeping in the sun, sat a proud little gecko. With a squeaky gasp the small child rejected the flower and started to climb up the side of the clunky hill. With a tiny grunt she fell back, but regained control and pulled herself up onto an old rusted microwave, sneakily looking up to the dumb-founded face of the gecko.

Licking ones of its eyes, it turned away with no bother for the curious child. With a giggle Lillyian reached out and poked it softly on the back. It quickly darted away down the side of the mound.

"Aww," the girl whined, climbing extremely un-gracefully to the top of the hill. Sliding onto her belly, she pulled over to get a view of below her with a final groan.

"_I look, I look, I glance to the ground…_"

She glanced bellow to supposedly find the lizard, but instead her eyes lay on something else. They widen and she grins.

There, lay a rugged boy with no t-shirt, just his dirty jeans and thick duct tape around his left arm. His face was filthy and his eyes were closed. She giggled at his hair, two spikes of black sitting on his head.

To make the scene look even more suspicious, he had a slim girl entwined in his arms. She had spiky black hair with hints of purple. Her cloths were dirty as well, and some scars showed on her pale skin.

As she looks around more, she finds a shaggy blue haired boy lying awkwardly on a ripped mattress, with half the springs showing. He laid with his arm twisted under him, his body on its side. He was sleeping too, she thought. An old looking bag lay just at his fingertips, as if he had raced over to it, and fainted just at the finish line. She looked at all of them and grinned again, her eyes glistening with wonder, and whispered,

"_And then the things were found…"_

* * *

><p>The circus grounds were just starting up.<p>

There were many things to prepare for the crowds, and robots mixed in with rushing children were carrying stools, props, makeup, mirrors, lights, electronics and costumes, racing to where they should be. The atmosphere was frantic, this was the first night they would perform to the people of Sunset City. The Big Top was put up, the stalls were ready and the acts were polished. Now they just needed to add the finishing touches for the performances.

Perched on a tall striped chair, sat Hamegg. His black mustache twitched at every mistake or trip the children or robots made. He hopped off his perch and gripped a whip from his pocket, clenching his fingers, eyeing all of them.

_A lash should get them going_…

Taking the whip, he lashed it on the ground. The horrifying sound made everyone jump and make their bodies tense, even the robots. "MOVE FASTER! We gotta show to run!" he said with a proud laugh.

Not proud at his workers. Not proud at his robots. Proud at himself, of course.

Sunset city goers loved to spend money, it was one of the richest cities on the Surface. They were sure to get some good money this month. Hell, Sunset citizens would spend shit loads to see how _horrible_ something was!

"Hamegg, you king of the world, you…" he grinned, stroking his greasy mustache as if it somehow granted him luck, which he probably thought it did in some way.

Cathy sighed a long, sad sigh. She was one of the eldest in the circus, and had carrot orange hair, ruffled and spiked. today she wore a pink and white striped t-shirt with scarred old blue jeans, a white French hat planted on her head. She looked up to the chart, located around the back stages of the Big Top, by the costume bay. The black board was a long one, it had to be to list all the children.

Rubbing her shoulder as a rush of cold swept through her, Cathy held up a piece of white chalk, and crossed out two names:

**Zane.**

**Cora.**

They had been declared lost. In other words, dead. Hamegg didn't care in the least, he was only concerned that maybe the preparation would be slowed, for they were some of the strongest, and Cora was the best cook. Well, the _only_ cook.

When a take-out building wasn't near, or if they were on the road, Cora would prepare vegetables, chips, chicken and puddings. There was never enough to go around, there has been records before of children only five leaving this world due to starvation.

Those poor, poor children.

A small girl raced up, a boy about her age running beside her. They both shared the same eyes (green), the same hair (brown), and were about the same height. It didn't take a genius to know they were twins.

The girl stood on tippy toes to examine the list. Cathy stood to the side with sorrow on her face. The girl let out a horrified cry. She turned to Cathy with drenched eyes. "Cathy!" she sobbed. Cathy flung her arms around her.

"Shhhh…" she comforted.

The girl burst into tears, burring her face.

"They can't be dead! They _can't_!"

The boy gulped and glanced to the list. Seeing the crossed out names, his eyes stung and his chest heaved, but he dare not cry in front of his sister, especially not Cathy, which he secretly admired.

"I know, honey…"

Cathy pulled the girl away and looked into her eyes, for the small girl to see that she was in tears, too.

"It just…happens, okay? Sometimes people do foolish things, like forget maps, or venture too far-"

"THEY WERE NOT _FOOLISH_!" the girl sobbed. The boy went up and patted her on the back.

"Widget, it's…okay."

Widget flung her arms over her brother.

"Oh Sludge! What are we gonna do? They can't be dead, they just _can't_ be!"

Cora, Zane, Sludge and Widget had stuck together like glue as soon as they met each other. Zane and Cora had known each other much longer, them being like brother and sister. But when Widget and Sludge came along, they were picked on by the older kids, Sludge getting beaten up, Widget getting teased to tears. Cora had stood up for them every time, until the respect got passed down from her into both of them and that was the end of their bullying. Some of the kids snicker at the thought that Zane and Cora are married, and Sludge and Widget were there kids. But they all were just best friends. Inseparable.

Well, except for now, of course. It's hard to be together when you're in two separate worlds.

"Its nature," Cathy reasoned, but knowing there was nothing natural about being killed by insane robots, or getting lost in the land of junk. Widget continued to cry.

"But _why_? Why _them_? Why not Arrow?"

Cathy smiled a little as she spoke her worst enemy's name.

"No one deserves to die, honey."

"Then why did they?" she asked quietly, looking up to Cathy. She sighed, and a moment of silence grasped the air.

"Fate has a twisted mind, sweet. Who knows, maybe they're in a better place."

Widget and Sludge took a deep breath.

"Will we see them ever again?" they both asked.

Cathy smiled and crossed her arms, rubbing her shoulders once more.

"Maybe," she whispered.

* * *

><p>Lillyian slipped down the side of the mound, bouncing off clumps as she fell. "Whooooaaa!" she screamed in delight as she fell head over feet and tumbled down, landing with a squeaky grunt next to the spiky haired boy.<p>

She quickly got to her knees and leaned over him and the girl. She reached out to the girl's hair, and stroked one of her purple highlights. Her hair felt straw like and un-kept. She giggled. She shuffled over to the boy. There was something strange about him, she thought to herself. His skin was _too_ perfect. To _clean_. She leaned over and poked his button nose.

**TWITCH**.

The boy's finger flinched. Lillyian let out a high pitched laugh. She reached out to tap the spike on his hair, but hesitation drew her away. They looked dangerous.

She looked back to the girl. She had a beauty spot on her lower cheek. She reached out and poked that too.

The girl didn't move.

Lillyian gasped at the thought she might be dead. She grabbed her hand an started to shake it, in somewhat trying to read her heart beat like she had been told. She couldn't feel anything.

She must be dead, there was no way she could have been doing it wrong. "Poor girl," she whined. She leapt back over to the boy. She plucked up some courage and slid her finger along the side of his hair spike until she came to the tip. The boy groaned and turned his head to the side. Lillyian giggled and tapped him on the forehead.

"Hmmmm…"

**TAP TAP**.

"Hmmmm…stop it…"

**TAP TAP TAP**.

The boy's eyes opened slowly. His vision was blurred and pixilated, but soon the form of human came. A…a little girl, in fact. The boy groaned and pulled him up with his good arm, Lillyian smiling at him. Their eyes met and the robot tilted his head.

"Oh…hello…" He said with a little frown.

The small girl gasped and nodded her head.

"HELLO!" she screamed.

The robot boy looked down to the girl on his lap. He gasped and pulled himself from under her, squatting over her limp body.

"C-Cora?" he whispered in hope.

"Cora? Is that her name? Well, I think she's dead. Sorry..." Lillyian mumbled.

"No…" the boy breathed, softly touching Cora's pale face. He reached down to her wrist and softly picked it up, searching for a pulse.

"I already tried that. And you're doing it wrong, anyway." The boy robot's mind wondered back to the dreadful night before, when they had fell.

"_Cora!" he yelled to the screaming teen. He reached out to her, stretching his fingertips as far as they could go. Cora couldn't see anything; even though he had his eye lights shining, they just appeared as a blur. He griped out and took her hand quickly, pulling her close and holding her tight to his chest. He had maybe thought she would foolishly kick away, with that rage she had with him and being so stubborn, but she had grasped hold of his arms so tight he thought maybe she had the super strength for a moment, as they went plunging down. Maybe she thought he was Zane._

While waiting for a sign of life, the robot's mind then went from Cora to her friend. He looked around the ruins, and finally found the old pale blue mattress with Zane twisted on it. "Zane…" he would have to check if he was still in a living state as well, he was lucky to land on something soft…The boy smiled widely as a healthy pulse thumped against his thumb.

"She's alive!" he cried in delight. Lillyian gasped in joy.

"YAY!" she squealed.

Cora finally responded. A small response, but one enough to send relief flooding through the robot's circuits. Her head moved slightly towards him, a raspy groan escaping from her lips. He grinned.

"I knew she was alive."

"M-me too!" Lillyian lied. She shuffled forward, eyeing his taped scar. "You have a very bad nurse." She muttered. He diverted his eyes from Cora to the small girl.

"Excuse me?"

She nudged her head to his dead arm and giggled. "You have gray sticky tape on your arm."

He glanced over to the injury. Lillyian jumped up and treaded behind the boy and over to his arm, squatting down to lightly touch it. "Well, we were on the road, kinda…" the robot held out his good hand to lift his dead one for her to examine. She looked up.

"Really?" she said with a smile. He nodded. She ran her fingertips along his skin, coming to a stop at the duct tape.

"Yeah, we were walking along the Surface…Wall, I think it was? No, the…Ridge. Surface Ridge."

But his voice was already muffled out in Lillian's head as her eyes met a smudge of the robotic scar poking out from the sticky muck. The boy looked to the girl. She wasn't talking in that nervous, squeaky voice of hers.

Her eyes widened.

She must have seen his scar.

He didn't act surprised, he thought it would be the same gig with Cora. Person acts surprised, asks heaps of questions and hopefully invites him to where she lives. Kinda made him feel important, now that he thought about it. But as he looked at her, he noticed her eyes were stricken with fear. She slowly took her hands off his arm. He tilted his head.

"Are you o-"

She screamed in horror and raced behind the junk mound. The robot jumped up and looked around to the hill, hearing whimpering from the girl. "W-wait! I-I don't mean any harm!"

Under the balcony, the mother still sways back and forth with her beloved husband, while the rest of the village was getting to their daily work.

A teenage boy and his farther get to work on a small veggie patch by their house. The man has black, grizzly hair with a matching goatee, and wears a blue and red checkered top. His son has his brown hair shaved to a small stubs, many parts of his face pierced. He wore a rugged singlet with some sort of street design imprinted on it, along with black shorts and a striped tie, adding to the school rebel look.

More young children were out, three angel blond-haired girls and one light brown haired boy. He was sitting on a wooden porch, straw hat snuggly on his head, a large revolver in lap.

Lillyian's mother looked around the village.

"Breakfast?" she asked.

Suddenly Lillyian's horrified scream echoed over thought the village, sending everyone to be cast in silence, like someone had replaced them with statues. The mother was the first to respond. She leapt out of her husband's arms and raced towards the scream.

"LILLYIAN! Lillyian, I'm coming dear!"

Seeing his pregnant wife racing to where there must be danger, the man leaped over the balcony railing.

"Shit!" He ran after her as she disappeared behind a garbage heap. The black-goatee man swung his arm in their direction. "Come on! Let's go!" he signaled.

The village came to life once again, the small boy nodding and racing down with the gun in hand, almost dropping it twice. The teen was sure to handle it off his before proceeding, as much to the boy's anger. The three girl stayed behind with their mothers, worried looks as they stroked the wildflower petals.

The band of people raced over to where Lillyian had screamed. The mother looked to the black haired man. "What do you think?" she puffed.

Her face was starting to go red.

"You are in no condition to run, Abigail!" the man warned.

"For my Lillyian, Lennox, I would run a thousand miles." Lennox gave a worried smile at that. They all came to a stop in the maze of the seven mounds. The teen loaded the gun.

"Could it be a snake?" he asked in a thick Aussie accent.

Lillyian's scream came again.

"This way!" Abigail declared, racing down to the left.

The robot boy edged closer to the mound, Lillyian's face looking out from the side.

"I don't want to hurt you…" he said calmly, holding out his hand. The girl's face scowled.

"Robots are mean…" she said darkly, a tear streaming down her face. "Robots hurt people…" she glanced down to Cora. "You hurt that girl…" the robot glanced back.

"No! that wasn't me! I-"

"STAND BACK!"

The boy jolted back as he was suddenly confronted with a band of humans. Very furious humans, at that.

Abigail ran forward.

"MUMMY!" Lillyian cried.

The small lady scooped her up in her arms and held her tight, the small girl clinging around her neck. Abigail scowled at the robot boy. He glanced at the teen, cautiously stepping on the spot, aiming a gun right at his face, while Lennox was firmly standing his ground, and a small boy about Lillyian's age was giving him his best evil cowboy look, threatening a spade forward. He meekly raised his good hand.

"Uh…?"

"What were you doing to my dear Lilly?!" the woman confronted.

"You know what we do to robots here, mate," the teen said, stepping forward.

"I-I…" the robot looked to Lillyian. "I-I just woke up!" Small snickers arose, but Abigail's face remained as old as ice, Lillian clinging tighter.

Lennox scoffed. "Just take a look at this…" he murmured. "They creating humanoid robots now? Try and make you look all innocent?"

The robot took a step back, only to cause the teen to edge closer.

"I haven't done anything wrong! Seriously, what do you have against robots?" he asked desperately. More scoffs.

"Would that make these robot too, then?" The robot boy jolted around to another man, leaning over Cora and nudging her shoulder.

"Stay away from her!" the robot suddenly yelled out. He didn't know where the sudden rage came from, he would just hate to see those teens get hurt. The man looked up.

"Why? They your gang? You little terrorist human looking-robot gang?" He took a knife out from his belt and held it close to Cora's hair, making the breath clog in the robot's throat.

"She your girlfriend?"

"JUST LEAVE HER THE HELL ALONE!" he could hear the revolver the teen had load and he gulped.

After some close examining of the girl the man shot his head up.

"They're human!" he accusingly pointed to the robot boy. "You've harmed them! Tortured them, most probably!"

"I DIDN'T-!"

"Sick things, you robots…" Lennox spat. "No hearts. No mercy. Let's see how you like it."

The robot slowly turned around to the other humans.

"Look, I know how this looks, but would never hurt a-"

He never finished the sentence when the teenager fired the gun. The gun shot could be heard all the way back to Autumn, where the mothers looked around in fear. Everyone eyed to watch the robot fall down dead, for another victory, another threat to be over. But instead, as the gun smoke cleared, the robot boy was still standing fine. Looking frazzled and shocked, but not a scratch on his skin. Their mouths gaped open.

The boy lifted his hand to dust off the grit from his cheek, but the teen fired again. At much closer range, the bullet just shot right off his arm with a slight 'ping'. The teenager growled and went to fire a third round, but Lennox stepped up and shoved the gun down.

"That's enough, Scooter!"

Scooter looked at the robot, and then up past his shoulder. With a grin he lowered the gun. "By all means…"

The robot tilted his head.

"So- AHHHHHRRRRGGGGGG!"

The man from behind had come up and hauled the knife in his shoulder, right in the groove where his limb connects. The robot boy froze for a second, looking deep into the eyes of frightened Lillyian and the laughing Scooter, then fell to his knees.

Glitches and blue electricity lashed all over the boy's poor body. He felt like his insides were on fire, every movement like sharp pins twisting in his skin. He lurched forward onto his hands and knees, Scooter keeping alert again and aiming the gun close.

"H-h-h-he-help…"

He landed on his stomach and his eyes slowly closed. Dusting his hands together, Lillyian's farther waltzed over and tugged the knife from the robot's shoulder, releasing from the textured skin with a sickening slicing sound. He squatted down to his face. Hearing the nervous shuffling of grasses and metal, he looked up to the group.

"Is it alive, Damion?" Lennox asked.

"I don't know. We better take it back to town." He slowly rose. "Well, what are you waiting for? Let's go help those kids!"

They all sprang into action, racing over to Zane and Cora; their bodies still cast in silence. Abigail placed Lillyian down with a weary groan and hobbled over to help.

Lillyian stroked her red hair sadly, looking at the robot boy. He had been so nice, but she had heard of some robots pretending just as she liked to, to lure them into a trap. But she couldn't help but look at the lifeless face with pitied eyes. She sighed slowly like her mother does, somehow trying to clear her muffled mind like it helped her.

She saw the robot boy slide slightly back, and gasped and jolted her head up, only to find Scooter was tying his red boots together. He looked up and winked playfully at her and Lillyian faked a smile.

* * *

><p>Sweet straw.<p>

Lavender candles.

Old grease and oil.

These scents weren't from home.

Cora stretched her body and opened her eyes. She looked around while rubbing her shoulder softly as it ached. She was sitting on an old wooden frame bed, with a scratchy purple blanket and a flat pillow. The small room was dimly lit, with a few rays seeping from the pale blind that covered the only window.

"Where…?" she flipped her feet from the covers to lightly touch the fluffy textures of a mauve carpet. She looked to the end of her bed to see her dusty grimed cloths. She then examined herself. She was wearing her original underwear (thank god), along with a pale violet tank top and blue night shorts. On her arm was a tight bandage, and several band aids covered her legs. She rubbed her temples for a moment, feeling like a headache that had been lasting for over decade had finally started to wear down.

"Hmmmm…" she groaned. Suddenly the old door to the left opened with a creak and Abigail walked in. Cora turned to her, slowly lowering her hand and standing up. Abigail welcomed her with a smile. Cora didn't think to return it, first thing's first:

"Where the hell am I?" she asked.

The woman stepped forward."I suggest you stay seated, those injuries won't heal as easy as you think."

Cora sat.

"Where am I?" she repeated.

"You're in Out Skirts, in the town of Autumn. I'm Abigail, and we found you by the scrap mounds. Are you okay? Did it hurt you bad?" Cora tilted her head, her eyes turning to slits.

"What do you mean, _it_?" Abigail sighed sadly.

"I know, you probably would call it more than just an it. A monster, a threat, a-"

"Wait," she cut Abigail short, standing up. "What are you _talking_ _about_?" Abigail gave her a strange look.

"The robot," she answered.

Cora's eyes widened. _That night. We fell! Is Zane okay? And that robot boy…dangerous? Abigail must have got the wrong idea. Stubborn, sure, and a little hard-headed, but he was programmed to act like a human, therefore he wouldn't hurt a fly._

"The robot who harmed you. Lillyian, my daughter, said she found all of you unconscious, even the robot, and you were in its arms. I don't know what she was saying…"

Cora scoffed a small astonished laugh. He had saved her. Became her landing pad. She should be dead right now, if it weren't for him. She wondered, if he had only saved _her_…she turned to Abigail.

"Is Zane okay?" she asked.

Abigail smiled warmly and led the way out the room and into a kitchen/diner. There was wooden cupboards in the right hand side of the room in a box formation, a door next to it leading to outside. A small table was in the center and an array of different patterned couches lay near the bedroom which she had left.

On the burgundy carpet was Lillyian and Zane was sitting on the couch, his left arm cast in a sling and wearing a black t-shirt with old jeans.

"Zane!" Cora cried, racing towards him.

Zane looked to her and his eyes lit up.

"Cora?"

Cora ran up and carefully hugged him close, sure to not harm his arm. He lifted his hand and grasped her hair in an attempt to hug back. Abigail returned to Cora's room to do some tidying up. They heard each other's sniffling and Zane soon felt hot tears on his cheek. Lillyian jumped up and watched from where she stand, until they drew away and looked down to her.

"Oh!" Zane said. He cleared his throat and stood. "This, is Lillyian Chrome. Daughter of Abigail Chrome and Damian Chrome, and keeper of all…"

"CHICKENS!" Lillyian yelled.

"Yeah, those things…" Cora giggled. Lillyian jumped up.

"And defeater of all ROBOTS!"

She ran around the room gleefully, punching her arm in the air. Zane laughed and smiled, while Cora looked at him with a confused expression. Zane looked at her and started to inform.

She wasn't sure how long he had been up, but he seemed to know a lot already. She guessed that Lillyian is a big talker. Anyhow, it was great just to hear his voice again, humming in her ears.

"Isn't it amazing? A whole thriving village without technology! They grow their own foods, their own produce…their own eggs! Did you know chickens are actually living _animals_, not just a food?"

Cora looked to Lillyian, still running around the room, pretending to stab imaginary objects and slash away at ripples of cool breeze.

"DIE, ROBOT! DIE!"

"Um."

"Oh yeah. They also hate robots."

Lillyian screeched to a stop in front of them, laughing. Cora snapped her head to Zane.

"Zane. If they hate robots, then…where's ours?" she was starting to wonder if he even remembered why they fell in the first place.

Abigail entered the room once again, carrying both Zane and Cora's cloths. She turned to her, giving another smile. "Abigail," Cora started, standing up and dusting off her pants.

"Yes?"

She gulped. "Where is our robot?" Abigail frowned. She wasn't sure what his girl meant by 'her' robot. But her warm smile soon returned.

"Why, we tied it up by the balcony."

Cora gaped.

_**Tied **__**up**_**?**

"Damion is working to destroy it, but it's extremely hard, nothing seems to open that thing-"

Cora had heard enough. She raced over to Zane and started to pull on his t-shirt neck.

"Hey! What gives?" he complained, getting tugged from his seat.

"Zane, we gotta problem!"

"What problem, dears?" Abigail asked sweetly.

Cora was getting sickened by her overly sweet nature. She ran over to the door and swung it open, Zane following close behind and Lillyian stumbling over. Abigail frowned as they all raced out the house, but her mind quickly switched to more important things like lunch and she retreated to the kitchen.

They burst onto the balcony with a squeak following every step and glanced around. Scooter was with Lennox again, leaning against their house with cool beers in hand. With sweaty foreheads and puffing chests, they looked like they disserved them. All around the town was small children and their mothers, older teens and men working.

And right down at the right hand bottom of the porch, was the robot boy, arms tied around a steel post. His ankles were bound by barbed wire and tape, so was his stomach.

Cora gasped and jumped down to kneel in front of him. He was unconscious and she was glad. He looked so battered and beaten, she couldn't bear the thought of him being awake to suffer from it.

"Oh my _god_…" she whispered to herself. Zane's eyes widened and he too leapt down to Cora. Many people looked from where they were and smiled at the new comers. Scooter's eyes widened as he saw the pair and ran over to the two.

Cora reached her arm out and softly touched the robot's face. His arm was almost fully disconnected from his shoulder, and his artificial skin had deep scars all over and his lower cheek had a black scorch mark smothering it.

Zane shuddered.

Lillyian beamed and stood proudly on her tippy toes. Scooter walked up with smile. "Your awake!" he said gladly. He roughly reached out and tugged on the robot's hair. "Yeah, he's a tough bugger, but we'll find a way."

Cora jumped up and started pounding her fists on Scooter's chest.

"You monster! What have you done to him?" she screamed.

Scooter frowned and stepped back, holding his arms up in a gesture of surrender. Cora's punches didn't seem to have any effect on his muscular chest.

"Whoa! Hey!" Lennox sprang into action, jogging over.

Lillyian ran up to Abigail as she came out to see what the matter was. Lennox grabbed her shoulders and held her back.

"Hey! Slow down now, missy…"

Cora spun out of his grasp and looked up at him.

"It's CORA." She spat.

From a small battered brown shed came Damion, stepping out with goggles on his face and a blow torch in hand. That must have been the cause of the burnt cheek, Cora noted sickingly. Zane stood up.

"What did you do to our robot?!" Damion dropped the tool and ripped the goggles from his face.

"_Your_ robot?!" he asked.

The whole town was silent now and most were making their way over to the scene. The small boy raced up, holding onto his straw hat.

"Yeah, _our_ robot!" Zane continued to protest.

"Maybe they're a little weary from the hard day, honey?" Abigail said from the balcony. Cora twisted to her.

"No, we're NOT! Look, thank you for your hospitality, but he is not a threat. Seriously, we found him in the Wastelands and-"

"Another bot from the Wastelands!" Damion growled. He pointed to the robot boy. "Do you know what they do?" he asked darkly.

Cora and Zane frowned.

"They kill!" yelled someone from the crowd that was forming.

"They harm!"

"Destroy!"

"WE KNOW!" Cora screamed, casting silence across the town. She took a breath. "I saved him from them. The Scavengers were going to destroy him." Everyone gasped.

Lennox stepped forward. "Scavengers?" he quivered. Zane nodded. "They've been terrorizing this town for years…" Abigail stepped down.

"They first came when we did." She sadly lowered her head.

"What do you mean?" asked Zane. Damion stepped more towards them.

"What we mean, is that Wasteland bots can't be trusted. The bloody Scavengers have been visiting us more often now days, stealing our produce, picking off our houses, killing our-" He stopped short and took a moment to stare down at his boots, then over to the blow torch. He wiped his face and started to breath more heavily. After some staring seconds he turned again to look at Cora.

"They…" he pointed to the boy once again. "THAT, they all can't be trusted. All as bad as the Scavengers, all as bad as each other…" he walked over and picked the blow torch up. "Bad, just bad…"

Cora took a moment for her mind to wonder why he seemed so passionate about hating the robots, but soon stood tall.

"Well, you don't have to worry about them anymore." She said boldly. They all looked at them with a strange and confused expression.

"Yeah!" Zane yelled out. "Our robot destroyed them!"

More gasps.

Almost everyone was looking at the boy robot now. Until Scooter laughed.

"That little bugger? Get rid of the Scavengers? HA! Don't make me laugh!"

These words immediately eliminated any chance of the thought from the people's heads and they too started to chuckle. Damion was the only one who didn't even crack a smile, just turning to them.

Cora scowled. She sharply turned to them all.

"It's _true_!"

More laughter.

She even saw some men holding their sides from the pain. It was Zane's turn to try and convince them.

"Seriously! He saved Cora!" The laughter died down a bit as Damion came to make his point.

"Exactly! More terrorist Wasteland bot threats!" The laughter twisted into yelling in agreement.

Cora and Zane just looked at each other and groaned. These people were going to be tough to convince. Impossible, even. Cora decided to decipher the means of why they hated machines so much.

"Why?" she called out, once again shadowing silence.

"Why what, missy?" Lennox asked.

"Why hate robots? Did something happen?"

"Yes." Damion answered. They all looked at him with sorrow. Cora eyed him for a finished answer. But he hid back into his shed. Cora frowned.

"Yeah, so what happened?" Abigail looked sadly down to the ancient pine wood of the creaky balcony and felt her eyes swell.

"WHY?" Cora demanded.

"HEY!" Lennox yelled to her, adopting the two teen's full attention. He took a breath. "Just, some things are kept in the past." He glanced over to the shed.

"Exactly," Zane answered. "The past. This is a very advanced robot. It has more on its mind then just 'kill." Damion stomped out from the shed.

"You think you can just come to our town and change our sufficient ways!" he said angrily.

Zane knew they shouldn't have pushed it. If they had just left it, then maybe they would get a bed for the night and maybe some directions, but that would come with the price of letting them torture their robot, the reason they were here in the first place. No, they couldn't just go through all this and have nothing to travel back with. And if they were going to give him up, they would at least want heavy pay, not just taken from them because it was their 'policy'.

"We don't live with robots any more, okay? If you don't agree with our ways, then get out of my town!"

"Give us back the robot first!" Cora screamed to him.

"I'm not just gonna let that monster go!" Damion argued.

They yelling once again up rose and Cora just buried her head in her hands. But Zane's mind was diverted from the yelling to something else. The air was getting slightly musky, he noticed, and a strange smell was filling the air. A smoky smell…

"Is something burning?" he asked over the top of the crowd. Abigail overheard Zane's question and her eyes grew wide, remembering the roast chicken she had put in the oven a few minutes ago. Even though it was a town that didn't favor high technology, Abigail had managed to get her hands on a Metro City oven, which could cook anything to a delicious crisp in under five minutes. She couldn't remember how long it was since she had put it in…

"Oh!"

She hobbled quickly back into the house. Damion looked up to her as she disappeared through the door, but quickly returned to the fight. But noticing the two teens covering their ears, he declared in his head that they have given up. Not like they had a chance, it was a whole town against two…two…

"Where did you come from?" Damion shouted to them.

As soon as his voice was heard, it was once again like a rare bird had called and silence showed the respect for his words.

Cora and Zane looked to each other. You see, if anyone knew there was an entire circus run by just children, things would get hairy pretty quick. There would be reports of abuse, stealing and even manslaughter that would be thrown at Hamegg and he would all too soon be the latest criminal. Look, it wasn't fancy or perfect, but the kids there were family. _Cora's_ family. And she didn't think anyone favored foster parents, or being chucked back into the life they so much wished to forget. _Like her own life…_

Damion and the whole town was waiting for an answer. Each second of silence just was being collected as more and more suspicion.

Abigail perked her head around to the kitchen oven to check if the chicken was too burnt or not. To her dismay, a cloud of continues smoke was rising above the appliance. Her face was struck with shock and fear as she then noticed a lone bottle of scraped off petrol and petrol from Damion's last ride into town.

It was sitting on the shelf just over the cooking oven, and above it was a glass of water she must have left. The window by the sink was open, and the blue curtain was flowing nearby it, tilting it with every breeze.

A particularly strong one sent the glass to be knocked over, the water spilling from its hold. The drops fell on the jug of disaster, some sizzling onto the oven.

Finally finding her legs, Abigail raced over to the wobbling bottle, but the smoke was over powering and attacked her sight, making everything around her swirl with blur. She wouldn't have made it in time anyway, as the glass fell and knocked the jug…

Right onto the fiery oven.

Now, firework explosions are pretty and all that, just make it ten times more powerful and dangerous, and take out the fun little smidges of color and you got what happened next. Cora thought sickingly that maybe she should thank the turn of events, so she couldn't stand there any longer to be watched by what felt like the entire world.

A _giant_ explosion, that shook the whole town and made the people wobble on their knees.

It only took a matter of seconds before the whole house was ablaze with dancing flames.

Damion ran as fast as the teenagers had ever seen, racing towards the house with an expression of such misery and pain, Zane thought he might kill him to help the mood.

The whole town screeched in alert and the mothers quickly picked up their young and sprinted to safety by the maple tree.

"**ABIGAIL**!"

Damion screamed. Scooter and Lennox along with many other strong men and women were busy collecting buckets of water from the old well behind the tree, and then chucking it on the fire with a hiss of smoke and steam. Zane had ran straight away, but Cora just took slow steps backwards, her mind whirling…

"_CORA!"_

_The tiny girl flicked her head to the burning house. It used to be quite grand, with its' cream wood walls matching the picket fence, and the three stories of time and brilliance._

_Now all used to feed the monster, eating away at the wood with its flames._

_Then she saw it._

_Two pairs of hands, banging their fists on the window of the second story. She recognized them straight away._

"_Mummy? Daddy!"_

_The fire man placed a hand on the girls shoulder as they both watched three enter the building. Cora wasn't in distress, she knew those super heroes in yellow coats could save them._

_But the pounding on the glass continued. _

_A face appeared, black soot covering it, mixing in with the drench ness of the tears. She gasped._

"_Mummy!"_

_Then dear farther showed, his glasses cracked and sizzled. Cora stepped forward, but the large gloved hand tightened. She looked up to him. He sadly shook his head. Tears started to form on her eyes and she looked back to her parents. They kept on pounding on the glass, looking at their little girl from the hell that was burning._

_The three fire men suddenly escaped from the house, coughing and spluttering. _

"_WHAT ARE YOU DOING?!" she screamed. "THEY'RE STILL IN THERE! WHAT ARE YOU DOING?!" With a final look to her parents, she made out the mouthed words before the entire house came crashing down._

'_We love you'… _

"Cora? CORA!"

Two hands came crashing down on Cora's shoulders and she was pulled away from the grasping fire. She shook her head and stumbled along with the person to the crowd by the arching tree. She turned her head to Zane.

"What the hell were you thinking?!" he yelled at her. "You could have died! You're supposed to run!"

_**Run**_**…**

With a teary cry she squeezed Zane into a long hug. Cora noticed Zane's sling was starting to un-fold, ambers of glowing ash pricked on it. He hugged her back, a little confused- Cora wasn't the cuddly type.

They looked back to the house, the flames just growing. Damion was in full tears, yelling for only one thing:

"ABIGAIL!"

The mothers around them had their hands covering their mouths and shaking their heads, most little kids in screaming messes.

Then, they heard it.

"DAMION!"

Un-clear, but with no doubt.

Abigail was still alive.

That was all the response Damion needed, before rushing into the burning house.

"DAMION, NO!" Lennox reached out to grab his jacket cuff, but far from reach he failed. Frustrated, he kicked the ground and ran over to fill another bucket. "Idiot, bastard!" he yelled, but everyone knew he wasn't angry at Damion, but more to himself, knowing he wouldn't be able to save him if he didn't get out.

And those chances were pretty high.

Lillyian scrambled over to Cora and Zane, tears streaming down her face. Cora knew only too well what she was going through. She glanced to the house. "Mummy! Daddy!" she screamed.

Cora flung her arms around her as she burst into tears, hugging back. "They're going to be okay!" she more of told herself. Cora let a tear of her own drip onto her red hair.

"Oh, shit!" Zane groaned. Surprised at her friends bad tongue, Cora and Lillyian glanced to him. He had his navy hair scrunched up in his hands, looking regretfully to the house. Lillyian wiped her nose.

"What?" her voice quivered.

"Our robot…" he moaned.

Cora flicked her head at the robot boy, still bound to the post. It hurt to watch the fire get closer, and still to see the calmed expression on his face, as if still in his dreams. But it was a robot. They don't have dreams.

Lillyian gasped, which made Cora frown to the thought that she liked to pretend she was the greatest robot killer in Autumn. "He's going to melt!" she cried. Cora looked to him with hesitated eyes, wondering how to react when the flames finally reach him.

"What will we say when we return empty handed?" Cora elbowed him. He looked to her.

"What?"

"More important things to worry about, Zane!" she hissed. Zane's eyes softened as he collected the wrong thinking's in his mind, and his eyes scattered over to the house.

No more yelling from within was heard yet.

Damion was searching the rooms, dodging past debris of smothered couches, downed pillars and clumps of wood that was being devoured by the fire. "Abigail!" he called, as more of the roof was collapsing. He suddenly hears a groan, and looked over to one of the giant pillars that held up the entire structure.

A hand was scraping on top of it.

"ABIGAIL!"

Damion tripped over one of Lillyian's melting toys, and reached the black scorched piece of wood. Hot ash rained down on him as he looked down to the red face of Abigail, half buried by the pillar. He gasped, both horrified at the difficulty it would take to free her, and relief that she was still there to free.

"Damion…" she gasped. He stroked her flustered face.

"I'm going to get you out, okay?" he looked away from her for a moment, settling his palms under the pillar, then looked at his wife once again. She watched his every move with swollen eyes from the deadly black smoke and hell's ash. Before tugging, he comforted her with, "Lillyian's safe. You're going to be fine."

With a groan Damion started to lift the pillar from her poor body. It lifted for one grand second, then came crashing back down like a wave of fire.

Abigail let out a cry.

The scream reached the ears of a terrified Lillyian, who gasped and jolted her head up in alert. Cora and Zane looked towards the house and clenched each other's hands.

"Holy Mother Lord…" Cora whispered.

More of the house came crashing down to the towns dismay, everyone's hopes sinking.

…except for Lillyian's.

Zane looked down to where Lillyian was, only to find a vacant patch of grass. He nudged Cora.

"What?" Cora whispered, praying for the best.

"Lillyian? Where did she go?" They quickly darted their heads around the town in search for the small girl. "Fricken hell…"

Lillyian was making her way over to the boy robot. He was her only chance to save her family.

It was still not moving, some of the barbed wire turning black from the expose of the heat. She ran over it, the other hurrying people not noticing.

She leapt over a rolling bucket and kneeled down in front of it. The heat was immense, a thousand times more scolding then her bath water could ever be. Some of the burning ash flickered onto her dress and she was quick to dust them back. She focused on the robot's sleeping face.

All the stories.

All the threats.

All the warnings.

…meant nothing now.

She reached out to his face.

**TAP**.

Nothing. But she wasn't going to give up that easily.

**TAP**.

**TAP TAP**.

A small twitch.

**TAP TAP TAP**.

**TAP TAP**.

"Hmmmm…"

"WAKE UP!" she screamed. But the robot's head just fell to one side, the eyes squeezing closed tight. Lillyian shook it's shoulders with a crying groan. "WAKE UP! WAKE UP I BEG OF YOU!"

**TAP TAP TAP TAP TAP**.

"What?"

With a relieved sigh the robot's eyes suddenly snapped open. Lillyian jolted back a little with a watery smile.

"Oh…hello," She said, morphing the first words he had said to her. The robot boy looked up to her, everything becoming extremely un-clear.

_Who was this girl? Why is everything so black? Red? Flames… what?_

His mind whirled in confusion. Another shake from Lillyian sprung his senses together. He jolted his head around. "W-what? Where…?" he glanced down to his arms, tied with tape and wire. "What the-?" He tried leaning forward, and then immediately glanced down to his bound middle.

Cora and Zane watched from the distance, wondering what was Lillyian going to do.

"He's awake!" Cora cheered. Zane beamed.

"But, what is she doing?" Zane asked.

"I-I…" Cora sort of knew, but didn't know how to put it.

Suddenly a cracking voice arose.

"THE ROBOT IS AWAKE!" it screeched. The whole town was looking over to Lillyian and the moving robot now. Strangely enough, Cora didn't see any sort of hatred from the villagers this time. She wondered if all their thoughts were directed by Damion.

The robot boy groaned and softly touched one of the deep scars on his face. A harsh sob leapt from his throat and horrible, _horrible_ cries fled from his mouth and echoed through everyone's ears, and Cora knew what was going on.

The robot was awake and the pain was finally kicking in.

Lillyian held his thrashing head still.

"WHAT DID YOU DO TO ME?!"

"I'm _sorry_!"

She knew she had done nothing to cause the scars, but she still had let them occur, and it was her farther who was responsible, which gutted in her as bubbling guilt. She was still cautious of robots, but this one she just _knew_ wasn't harmful.

The boy robot pulled its good arm, snapping the barbed wire like toothpicks. The youngster gasped and watched as he grabbed the bindings across his stomach and ripped them off as well as his boots.

Shakily getting to his feet, the robot continued to let out small grunts and cries of pain. Lillyian steadied it as it wobbled when he caught sight of the leaping fire beside him.

"Oh my God…" His eyes widened like deer captured in a spot light.

Lennox raced up and pulled Lillyian away from him by her shoulders, looking menacingly at the robot. But Lillyian acted like he wasn't even there, and continued her conversation with it.

"My parents are in the house!" she cried. "_SAVE THEM__!_"

The robot looked at her as if she was crazy, then back to the fire. Lennox just awaited to what the machine would choose to do. The boy was thinking about his choices, counting all the events that had accrued so far:

Firstly, he had been accused of harming humans, insulted and called a threat.

And then he was aggressively shot twice, and knocked out by a knife struck in his arm.

And then waking up, obviously tortured and tied up to a post next to a blazing fire, sentenced to melt along with the house.

And now this small girl was begging him for a favor. So what was he going to do?

The answer was obvious.

Holding his arm and with a raspy groan, the robot made its way over to the entrance of the burning house.

Most of the town gasped in amazement, the water carriers pausing for a few seconds to watch as the small machine disappeared into the black sooty archway that used to pass as a door. Cora started to walk forward but Zane stopped her in her tracks. She didn't need to look at him to know his expression. She knew him too well to know he was just as scared and shocked as her.

The robot traveled deeper into the clutches of the house, leaving the whole town frozen with shock and silence.

Damion let out a glass shattering yell as the pillar fell for the third time on top Abigail, who was losing hope. His knuckles were swollen and bleeding from uncountable splinters, his eyes were red and burning, his skin was starting to peel and he was losing oxygen.

Feeling defeated, he collapsed on the structure and looked into Abigail's eyes, slowly closing. Seeing her desperate state, he reached out to her chin and lifted her face to his. "Oh no…no, Abigail!" he cried. Her eyes grew heavier. He leaned in close until their noses were touching. "Stay with me…" he whispered. "Stay with me or I'll come with you…" Abigail coughed as the flames started to climb down and grab for the edges of the pillar, attempting to pull it into its dance of destruction. She opened her mouth and a hoarse, raspy whisper of words poured out.

"No…no, no Damion. You dying…Lillyian …I will never be in peace if you abandon her…"

"And while I'm still alive you shall never die!" With another groan he steadied his hands on the bottom of the heavy piece of wood for the fourth time. He looked down to her, breathing as well as he was able.

"I'll get you out…" he said. He looked to the roof of the room, that was half gone. It was like staring into a Black hole, the entrance to the underworld. He closed his eyes and nodded to himself. "I'll get you out…I'll get you out…"

With a pray, he started to haul the pillar off of his wife, with as little success as any other time, maybe even less as he was horribly weak. Abigail let out cry as a flame had started on her shall and was eating away, traveling to her neck. Her poor voice gave Damion strength, and he lifted it until he felt like his arms would drop off.

Then a hand.

It was a small hand, perhaps a boy's, and had a scar across the thumb to the end of the palm. Seeing the robotic glitches that erupted from it, Damion's head sprung up to the robot boy, staring deep into his eyes with determination one would only see from the eyes of a grown man.

"What-you-?"

The only response was a small groan as the robot lifted the pillar. He stumbled back a little with a heavy frown woven into his brows, looking at the robot boy's strong single arm and his brave eyes.

His _human_ eyes.

The creaking of the weak wood screamed through the house and the pillar got thrown off Abigail and thumped on the ground which quickly gave way to a patch of splinters and ash.

The boy leapt forward and leaned down to Abigail, pulling her up from the ground with an arm around her shoulder. Damion just stood there, his emotions too mixed to make of the moment. Abigail stared wide eyed, being tugged from the scolding ground. The robot groaned and led her to Damion.

"Take her!" he yelled.

He nodded quickly and caressed the crying woman into his grasp. The boy robot pushed him towards the door leading to safety.

"GO!" He glanced at the machine before steadily walking over burnt and burning obstacles with Abigail locked in his arms, the robot following close behind.

But just as they left past the kitchen, the boy ran past a nail stabbing out of the wall. The wires from the boy's dead shoulder latched around the deadly pin, pulling him to an aggressive halt and he bit out a cry.

Damion looked back to him at the door way. It looked up at him with desperate eyes…just as Abigail had shown.

"HELP!" he begged. The man looked at the struggling robot. "HELP ME!"

Suddenly the reality flashed through his mind:

Robots were bad, robots were trouble. Robots can't be trusted.

The boy tugged on his arm, putting pressure on the wires. The circuits started to snap and twist and he screamed. He looked once again to Damion.

"HELP ME! _HELP_!"

Abigail coughed and slumped a little. Damion looked to her, and then to the robot. And with a frown, almost a _smirk_…

He disappeared out the door.


	4. Ashes

There are leaders who are respected, proud, charming, take-charge people. And then there are leaders who take-charge too much. And lastly there are leaders who let their pasts and thoughts take- charge of _them_.

What I'm trying to say, is that Cora didn't think twice about the past, or Damion's God damn thoughts.

She went crazy.

"WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING!"

she yelled as the two emerged from the smoke and collapsed on the gravely ground. Lennox raced up with some others to nurse them. Cora leapt forward and confronted Damion.

"HE'S STILL IN THERE!"

Her eyes went wide.

She fought back the memories.

Her head flicked back towards the burning house, the flames dying down as more buckets of water were added. Burning, she thought. _Melting_…

The robot boy tugged more and more on the nail franticly. A loud creak shattered his concentration and he looked up to the struggling roof. He hoped it wouldn't collapse while he was still inside.

A few of the wires finally gave way and he jolted back a little. The pain was beyond screaming.

_Just one more to go…_

More ash arose but had no effect on his eyes or breathing. He tugged and pulled, leaning all the way back trying to use his body wait to release the grip. He reached forward to un-latch the wire, but the smoke was like a deadly black sea. He groaned. "COORRAAAAA!"

The town stopped to listen to the desperate calls. The words were the last thing to seal the truth that this robot was in fact the teens, and wasn't here for trouble. Zane walked up to Cora and placed a hand on her shoulder.

"COOOORRAAA!"

"We can't do anything. Just be glad it's not a human." Cora bit her lip and nodded, starting to walk away.

"ZAAAANE!"

This time Zane froze in his steps. He looked to the house, then to the ground. "Sorry mate…"

The robot's chest heaved. No-one would be coming to get him. No-one probably would be caring. He banged his head against the wall and slid down to the floor, his arm still being held above his head. With a sigh, he closed his eyes. "Just a robot…"

A pain staking groan echoed through Autumn. The town shrunk down and moved away as the house's final strength gave way and the roof fell in with a wave of ash and smoke. The villagers screamed and Abigail let out a cry as her only home transformed into black rubble.

Scooter, who was dangerously near, jumped back in surprise. "Shit!"

Cora and Zane grabbed each other and shielded their faces as the dust arose and everybody held close. The rest of the flames smothered out from the mound of junk, and a certain calmness washed over, everyone knowing that the threat was gone. Lennox dusted his hands together. "Well…I guess that's that…"

"My…my house…" Abigail mourned.

"You're bloody lucky to be alive." A gruff man said.

"Is everybody all right?" a long brown haired woman yelled out. Many voices called out, though some sounding rather battered, confirming that they were okay. Cora and Zane looked at each other with wide eyes, not believing that all that strive only happened in a matter of minutes.

"My house…my only house…"

"You lot can stay with me in my house." A short black haired woman declared. Abigail coughed again and nodded slowly, still in Damion's hands and on the ground.

"Thanks, Nancy…" Cora stepped forward, watching other men carry the last buckets of water to the burnt site, tipping them on the last hungry flames. Lillyian raced up to her father.

"The robot!" she cried. "Where is the boy robot?!" Damion coughed and scowled. Anyone could see the rage that his own daughter was more concerned about his worst enemy than him. He detached Abigail, Lennox coming up and taking her, and stood up.

"I'm sorry, sweetie…" he said bitterly. Lillyian looked at him with teary eyes. "He…_it_…got stuck on a nail, I think…"

"And you didn't save him!" she gasped. Cora stepped to the fight.

"Wait… you _let_ our robot to _burn_?!"

"We can sue you!" Zane tried to make himself threatening.

"Um, mate? You can't sue a seven house town in the middle of the Out Skirts." Scooter informed. Cora placed a hand on Zane's shoulder.

"Leave it Zane," she whispered. "There's no point, he's probably burnt to crisp or heavily broken or something…"

Lillyian punched Damion on the shoulder. "He saved _you_! Why couldn't you do the same?"

"Well, I-I-I couldn't! Honey, it was your mother or the robot. Now I'm a good man, so you can tell what I chose-"

"BOTH OF THEM!"

"HEY!" Nancy yelled out. They all looked to her.

"I suggest that you, Damion, Abigail and the new comers come with me and leave the rest of those strong men to clean up," she said with finality. She turned to Cora and Zane. "Do you like hot chocolate?"

* * *

><p>Sipping from a large, chunky green mug, Cora looked around the substitute house the had been given for the night. They were in a large room with three brown leather couches around a large fire place. It was strange that it was lit even though the disastrous afternoon, but it was nice to have the heat contained.<p>

Cora was sitting on the middle couch, with Zane comfortably on the one beside her. He had already finished three mugs, surprisingly, but I guess that was reasonable considering it was all he had for the whole day. But Cora was too troubled with thoughts to even make it through her first.

_What the hell was supposed to be the purpose for that robot? A super-powered-human-looking-robot-child?_

She looked over to Lillyian, laying on her stomach on the shaggy brown carpet, picking at the strings of wool. Damion and Abigail had gone into the bedroom to clean up wounds and settle down, and Lillyian was still angry at Damion's selfish decision.

_And what about that crazy idea to save that couple, even though they had obviously done wrong to it? _Then it pondered on her. _We can't be its owner… _she realized._ If an owed robot protects only its owner, then we can't be it, because of what he did for the Chrome family. But then again, he can't be precisely theirs because of what it did for us back with the Scavengers._

It was all just a giant mystery.

"More hot chocolate, dears?" Nancy asked from the kitchen. Cora blinked a couple of times, getting snapped from her thinking's and looked to the door way.

"No thanks," she called.

"Yes please!" Zane yelled. Cora gave him a funny look.

No _way_ he could fit in more.

He shrugged. "What? I'm hungry, okay?"

"Well, obviously."

Nancy came in hold the mug in her pale hands. She was a very precise woman, with neat hair, neat dresses, neat nails, neat makeup…

"You're very different to the other farmers." Cora pointed out as she handed the drink to Zane. Nancy smiled and sat down next to Cora.

"I never got your names," she said simply.

"Oh, I'm Cora, and this is-"

"I'm Zane." He interrupted. Cora frowned again and looked to her.

"So, why are you not 'handy down' like the others?" Nancy took a breath and smiled at them.

"I've wanted to tell you this town's past ever since I hear you were here. They should have told you, you have no idea…" Cora and Zane edged closer. Nancy took a breath. "Damion and Lennox were best mates, and they used to live in Sunset City." Cora's eyebrows rose.

"No way! That's like, the richest city on the Surface!" she exclaimed. Nancy nodded.

"They got ratted out of their business, and ventured here, to a vacant spot in the Out Skirts."

"What was his business?" Zane asked. Nancy paused for a moment, and then chuckled a little.

"Um, he was a robot repairer." Their eyes widened. Lillyian jumped up next to Zane. He wrapped an arm around her as they listened.

"I'd probably believe in flying pigs more." Cora joked.

_How could it be, that a robot hater used to help them?_

"Continue!" Lillyian urged. With a quick dart around the room to make sure the parents weren't listening, Nancy continued her story.

"So they set up the town, and many others came, including Abigail. Well, they fell in love, and had a child."

"ME!" Lillyian yelled out. Nancy looked to the ground and bit her lip.

"No, sweetie…"

Lillyian looked around.

"I have a SISTER?!" she yelled excitedly.

"I'm afraid next comes the reason Damion hates robots." Cora shook her head, knowing what happened already. Nancy sniffled a bit and wiped an eye. "Um, it was dusk, and we heard some rustling in the bushes…"

"Oh my God…" Cora whispered. The whole room was silent, except for the cracks from the fire. Nancy started again.

"And, um, we just left it, we didn't know-" she took a moment to wipe her nose. "They started to emerge, and one of them climbed up to Damion's window and climbed in. He had tried to stop them…but, they're strong bastards, you know…" Cora and Zane nodded. They knew this fact first hand.

"What did they want?" Zane asked.

"They took the baby and warned everyone that this was their land and that they had to move. We all tried to tell them we didn't mean any harm, but they, they just held up the baby and…" Cora shuffled onto her knees, placing a hand on Nancy's shoulder as she started to cry. "They just softly placed their fingers on her head, and I was given the gun and I didn't do anything…" Lillyian squeezed Zane's hand.

"Zane…" she whimpered. He looked down to her.

"Yeah?"

"Did my sister die?"

"Brother." Nancy said, raising her head and wiping her nose and eyes dry. She took a breath and smiled at Cora. "Do you have family?"

Cora looked to Zane. "Ummm…n-no…" Nancy leaned over and hugged her softly.

"That's too bad, family is…well, there's nothing like it…" Cora frowned as she was held close in the caress of her smooth arms. She wasn't used to being hugged by adults. They pulled away and Lillyian stumbled forward.

"Why didn't my parents tell me this?!" she cried. Nancy leaned over and picked her up, sitting her on her lap.

"It doesn't matter, sweetie. You're here now, okay?" Lillyian stuck out her bottom lip and sighed as the woman swayed back and forth with her.

"What was his name?" Cora asked.

"Leon." She answered softly. Cora looked to the shaggy carpet.

"So that's why he hates robot's…" She said, more to herself than anyone. She finally knew, and all the rage from Damion fled from her heart. He was just doing what he thought was avenging his son.

Lillyian softly closed her eyes as Nancy started to hum. She didn't seem all that sad about her lost sibling, it probably wouldn't bother a six year old when she's the star of the family. And anyway, Abigail was having another baby.

Nancy lifted Lillyian onto the couch next to Zane again, and took the three mugs from next to him. She made her way over to the kitchen to wash up.

Zane glanced down to the sleeping Lillyian, sometimes mumbling in her sleep and drooling on his shoes.

"Wow…" he sighed.

"Tell me about it. I didn't have a clue the Scavengers were _that_ threatening."

"Maybe it wasn't them?"

"They said themselves, the Scavengers first came when they did. Good thing that robot destroyed some of them and at least gave the others nightmares." Zane chuckled a little, then frowned.

"You didn't say _our_ robot that time…" Cora hugged her knees and looked to the fire. She scowled at it. It was like looking at an old enemy that you failed to leave behind.

"Well, when you think about it, Zane, it _couldn't_ be our robot." Zane jolted up, as if he was told that he just lost a million bucks.

"WHAT?"

"It took a massive risk for Lillyian's parents. And then it took another massive risk for us with the Scavengers. So it couldn't have been any-"

"-Ordinary robot? Defiantly not!" Nancy scoffed from the door way, entering the room. The teens looked to her.

"What do you mean?" Nancy smiled and dusted her skirt before sitting down on the left couch.

"You asked why I'm not as 'handy-down' as the other farmers. That is because…" The two teenaged leaned closer, not appreciating the pause. Nancy smiled. "I am from Metro City!"

Their eyes widened.

"You? METRO CITY?" Zane cried.

"Only the best of the best live up there!" Cora joined. "Why are you down _here_?"

Nancy shrugged.

"My mother got thrown out of her apartment and I had to follow her to the Surface."

"But! BUT!" Zane gasped. They all looked to him, but he was completely tongue tied.

"You get the best view, the freshest air, the great food, all the best robots waiting on hand and foot!" Cora said for him. "WHY?"

"Family." Nancy said, standing up and walking over to a wooden brass cupboard. She opened it and pulled out two pieces of torn cream paper and walked back over, examining all with a smile on her face. "This brings back memories," she said with a small chuckle. She reached out and delicately passed the papers, photos it turned out, to Cora and Zane. They took them carefully, the way Nancy handled them like glass go the message across that they were precious.

Cora examined the crumbly photo print.

It was a faint picture of a man, with a rather long nose on his pale face, with small eyes that were swallowed in huge black bags under them. They must have been from loss of sleep, he only looked about thirty or so. His hair was a scruffy brown mop on his scalp, and he wore a white lab coat. The photo was aimed to get the man's face, but you could see small glimpses of a lab in the back ground.

Zane jumped over to sit next to Cora, showing her his photo.

In this one, there was a much older man, with clouds of white-ish gray hair on his head, the middle of his scalp rather bald. His eyes were in great contrast to the other man's; they seemed alive and full of wisdom and generosity. He too wore a lab coat, and he seemed to be in the same lab as the other man.

Cora looked over to Zane for what he thought of his photo, but he returned a shrug. She looked up to Nancy and ask her why she had brought the pictures up. She sat down next to Cora, taking the photo and sighing at it, her eyes shining with laughter and wonder.

"Well, you know that boy robot you two brought in so delightfully?" she asked. They nodded.

"Do you know about it?"

"I've been wanting to take a better look at it, but then of course that fool of Damion and then the freak fire. I guess I'll never get a chance…" Cora dropped her head, and the room grew silent, as if in respect for the death of the bot. Zane broke it with,

"Why would you be so interested in a foreign robot?" Nancy lifted her finger and smiled.

"I used to work in the robot department up in Metro City!" Cora leaned over.

"Was he a Metro City bot? A house bot?" even though the strange robot wasn't around anymore, she badly wanted the mystery to be over. Nancy frowned.

"I know that if he was even a newly released house bot, there is no way any robot could make decisions on their own, or disobey its bond to its owner. So I think that _particular_ bot was a onetime only, maybe even just an experiment. But I can shed some light on who the creator might be." She held up the photo. "This is one man I had worked with many times. The Minister of the Ministry of Science, Dr. Tenma."

As famous as he sounded, neither Cora or Zane had ever heard of someone called 'Dr. Tenma'. Seeing the dumb-founded eyes on clueless faces, Nancy continued. "He is said to have the most advanced brain in the history of mankind!" she said, rather jokingly. "He practically created robots."

Cora's eyes budged. "REALLY?" she gaped.

"And was the head of the program to get good old Metro City up and floating."

Eyes widened more.

"How come I've never heard of this guy?! HE ROCKS!"

"Not so fast, Zane. He's the one who made the Surface what it is today." Cora pointed out.

Zane thought for a while, which was quickly followed by a scowl. "THAT GUY SUCKS…" Nancy laughed.

"No, no! Tenma didn't want his robots to be slaves, he simply wanted the dangerous jobs taken care of, and that the robots should be treated equally. The human race is what made the Surface what it is today. He was a very misunderstood man, sadly. No-one saw what he meant by the equal matters of walking technology."

"So, he was the creator then!" Zane said. Nancy and Cora looked to him. "If he wanted robots to be equal, what better way than to create an incredibly human robot…person?"

"Well, that is an excellent observation, Zane, and that would make Tenma the creator easily if it weren't for Dr. Oshay," she said, snatching the second photo and holding it up. "Dr. Oshay and Dr. Tenma didn't see eye to eye. Dr. Oshay had a vision where humans were nicer to robots, and wanted to work towards it, yet Dr. Tenma was more on the brim of scaring the respect into humans. He wanted revenge on them, it seemed, but Oshay wanted to keep peace, even if it meant a few falls. They both were incredibly intelligent, Metro City's most brilliant brains." And just to make things More complicated, the woman added- "And remember, I don't even know for sure if it is these two, it could be someone else-

I haven't been in Metro City in years…"

Cora laid her head back a bit, tossing thoughts about the two. She started to think about the robot itself.

_It had incredible strength, so maybe Tenma wanted a robot that could defend for itself, there for he __would be the creator._

…

_But then Oshay didn't want robots to completely be free from work, so perhaps he still wanted it to be __strong enough to take care of the certain tasks._

A heavy foot step on the creaking floor shattered her thoughts. The trio looked towards the door way, where Damion now stood. Nancy quickly darted forward and swiped up the two photos, stuffing them in her skirt pocket as Damion sleepily looked to each one of them.

"Damion." Nancy addressed. The man nodded twice and then glanced down to Lillyian.

"Well," he gruffed. "I see my little girl has drifted off, I suggest we all call it a night."

"I agree. Zane, Cora, I have one spare room, the other shall have to sleep on the couch." Damion walked over and picked up Lillyian, Zane jumping up and walking quickly over to the doorway.

"Dibs room!" he called, and before Cora could even think to argue or tackle him, he was gone from sight.

"Night Nancy." Damion said as he left the room with Lillyian. He acted like Cora was a ghost. She shrugged and adjusted the pillows on the couch, Nancy placing the photos back into the cupboard draw.

"He acted like I wasn't even there…" Cora mumbled.

"Well, maybe he's just in a bad mood."

"Yeah, you're right, when he's in a good mood he's yelling at me."

Nancy let out a laugh and grabbed a fluffy blanket from a shelf by the fire. She chucked it to Cora, getting comfortable on the couch. She headed over to the door.

"Night."

"Wait!" Cora spun around, halting her to a stop. Nancy looked to her.

"Yes?"

"C-can you…"" Nancy took a seldom step towards her. "Could I _not_ have the fire going?"

Nancy frowned.

"Sweet, it's going to be awfully cold."

"I don't feel the cold," Cora lied. "It's getting a bit warm for me, anyway." Nancy passed by her with a frown, but Cora smiled, trying to look comforting but looking obviously fake. Grabbing the steel handle of a jug filled with water, Nancy spilled it over the flames. With a hiss steam arose and in a matter of seconds, just like the house, all that was left was burnt ash.

"There," she said, walking past the couch and over to the door way. "Hope you sleep well, Honey."

_Honey, sweet?_

Cora laughed a little to herself. Nancy stopped once again.

"Is there a problem?" she asked.

"What? Oh! Ha, you just remind me of a friend called Cathy…" she said with a smile. But soon it faded as it reminded her just how far from home she was. Heck, she barely knew which way was _close_ to the circus.

"Is she a friend from home?" Nancy asked. Cora nodded. Seeing her sad face, she comforted with, "in the morning I can give you some directions, and maybe Scooter could give you a lift."

Cora grinned.

"Thank you." She said truly.

Nancy nodded and left the now freezing room, as Cora huddled herself into a sleeping position.

She soon drifted into a light sleep, listening to the soft snores of Zane, all the way in the other part of the house.

* * *

><p>"<em>CORA!"<em>

_The tiny girl flicks her head towards the burning house. It used to be quite grand, with its' cream wood walls matching the picket fence, and the three stories of time and brilliance. Now all used to feed the monster, eating away at the wood with its flames._

_Then she saw it._

_Someone in the window. _

"_Mummy? Daddy?"_

_No._

_Not father, not mother. But a boy's face. A boy with two spikes on his head. A boy with scared eyes filled to the brim with rejection. A boy, who is not who he seems to be._

"_COOORRRAAA!"_

_The echoing screams she knew came from him, but his mouth remained sealed shut tight. She felt a hand on her shoulder. She looked up to the trusty fireman, shaking his head with sorrow. _

_She wasn't worried. _

_She knew that a robot was just a robot._

_She felt a hand lightly plant on her other shoulder. She turned her head to Zane, staring at the house._

"_COOORRRAAA!"_

_She quickly darted her sight to the house again, hearing the change of voice. In the second story window, next to the boy robot, is her parents. They are scraping at the glass, their faces smeared with black. The girl steps forward a little, for the boy robot to shake his head. She remained idle as she watched him slowly sink to the ground, and her parents send her their last silent message as the building came crashing down…_

Cora's eyes slowly opened.

The world of the night was humming softly: The crickets outside, the buzzing of appliances and the cool breezes whipping beneath the pearl white moon. If it were a few years back, Cora would have woken with a scream, in a fury of kicks and slams.

But the dreams were a common occurrence now. And she had gotten used to the shock a terror of those few minutes that ended her childhood. Though, this time, a new character comes to play. The robot boy was etched into her mind during the day, so there was no surprise he entered her dreams.

With a stretch she lifted herself from the couch, her blanket a scrunched up mess. Arching her back she looked around, her eye sight still blurry. Her head felt light and dizzy, as all she saw were shapes, until her thoughts cleared and they shifted into the lounge room. The fire was still out, and the air was still and cold. Cora stood up with a yawn, and held onto the edge of the sheet and made her way over to the kitchen door. Zane's snoring still sounded from down the hall, and Cora smiled to herself as the blanket dragged behind her. When she entered the quite room she immediately traveled to the fridge, swinging the squeaky door open with a sleepy blink. She hadn't had barely anything for the previous day, and the hunger was catching up on her. Sleep seemed out of range now, anyway.

Not like there was much to choose from. A few picked berries, potatoes, carrots, chicken meat, old candy, peaches and one cold pizza. The candy at least looked half decent, but when she grabbed for it, it was stuck fast to the iced panel.

"Just my luck…" she moaned.

"Don't bother."

Cora spun around in alert, almost tripping and falling into the fridge door. Her sight laid onto little Lillyian, rubbing sleep from her eyes.

"You gave me a heart attack!" Cora gaped. Lillyian tightened her grasp on a little toy giraffe she was carrying. She wore a flowing cream night gown that almost touched the ground.

"I'm sorry…"

Cora smiled and closed the fridge, walking over to her while wrapping the blanket around her shoulders.

"You can't sleep either?" she asked. Lillyian nodded sadly.

"No. why can't you?"

"Nightmare," Cora answered. Lillyian looked up to her with interest.

"Big kids still have nightmares?" Cora laughed.

"Only the strangest…"

"Hmmm…" the little girl thought for a moment. Then her eyes lit up. "Then I'm strange too!" she cheered.

More laughter ringed through the night.

"But you're not a big kid now, are you?" Lillyian puffed up her chest.

"I am so a big kid!"

"So, you had a nightmare then?" Cora asked, adjusting the quilt around her shoulders. Lillyian looked to the ground and shuffled her feet.

"Zane snores really loud…"

"Haha! Yeah, I can hear him from all the way over here." Lillyian looked around the room.

"It's awfully cold…" Cora rubbed her arm.

"A bit," she lied.

"You can have some of my blankets if you want, you know."

"No, no. You can have all of them."

"But I won't need any."

"Why not?"

"I can't sleep." Cora glanced over to the microwave, which read 1:25 am. She smiled and reached out, grabbing her hand.

"Well, we can go for a small walk, if that will help." Lillyian grinned and nodded wildly.

"Yes please!"

The two restless girls made their way out of the house and onto the scratchy grasses of the outdoors. The moon gave out plenty of light, and the sky was a tinge of orange which help their sight as well.

_If only it were this light when we were on the Ridge, _Cora thought angrily.

Lillyian glanced around with a smile.

"Over there is Scooter and Uncle Lennox's house!" she said excitedly, pointing to the building with the veggie patch nearby. "OO! And that's Sandy, Child, Daisy and Rassabith's house, over there!"

Cora was sure she was preferring to the three blonde children and their mother, as she looked to the surprisingly smaller house with beautiful flower beds out the front. They approached the burn site at the edge of the town. Lillyian sighed. "And that _used_ to be my house…"

Cora looked to her sadly as the girl scanned the area. She leaned over and passed the blanket to her, wrapping around her shoulders. Lillyian looked up to her with a smile. She leaned over to her ear. "Shall we go and see if some of your toys survived?" she whispered. Lillyian didn't look to Cora, but she could tell she was smiling.

"Yeah!"

The pair walked until they heard the ash and ruin crunching beneath their bare feet.

"Watch your step," Cora warned as they started to travel into more horrific debris. Lillyian stumbled onto the scorched pillar, scanning the ground for maybe her blue teddy bear, toy kitchen or some remains of her Lego. As Cora edged closer into the black mounds, she could still feel the warmth on her toes. The whole town still smelt like fire.

"Blueberry!" called Lillyian. Cora lifted a piece of what felt like tin roof.

"Who's that?" she asked.

"My teddy bear!"

"I'm afraid that one may be lost, Lilly," Cora said, trying to sound sad. A slight pout came from the other end of the site as Lillyian lifted half her couch. It was only a light frame now, so ruined it could almost turn to dust just by touching it.

"Will Strawberry be lost?" Cora stumbled over an unidentified object, falling onto a pile of gray ash, arising and invading her throat and eyes. She coughed heavily.

"Who's Strawberry?" Lillyian stepped down from the pillar and looked around.

"I think I'm in the living area!" she called, not answering Cora's question.

"Really?" Cora glanced around to Lillyian, standing to the right of her. She looked around to her feet and to the different monuments around her.

"I think I'm in the kitchen…" she mumbled. Lillyian looked over with squinted eyes- not like it would help.

"Oh yeah! You are!" she said with a laugh. It made Cora smile, how this little girl would fail to be miserable. You can burn her house down, make her farther a jerk and tell her she used to have a sibling but it got killed by ravage robots, and she will still see the best in things and shine out the fun.

Cora wished she had that talent. It would help a lot, at times.

Diverting her thoughts to the toy hunting, Cora saw in the glint of her eye something bright pink, hidden under the front door that managed to stay in one piece. She bended down low to see clearer.

It could be…no, it _must_ be one of Lillyian's plastic toys! Half of it that she could see was melted, but it was a toy another the less. "I think I found something!" she called. Lillyian gasped and jolted her way.

"Really?" she asked in excitement. "Strawberry?" Cora reached out and tugged on the end of it, but the door was heavy and fought against her, keeping the pink treasure locked in its place.

"Nope! Its pink and plastic!"

"Ooo! I think that's my Barbie doll pool!" she said excitedly.

_Oh, great_, the teen thought, tugging more on it. _I'm committing child labor to dig out Barbie crap…_

The door wouldn't budge. Cora dusted more ash from her palms as she stood, positioning herself to lift the door from it.

"Here we go…" with a groan Cora lifted with all her strength, and the slab of wood gave way easy, getting tossed aside. Lillyian coughed and spluttered as a wave of dust came attacking.

"Sorry!" Cora called, though finding it rather amusing to hear the sweet, high-pitched little coughs from the girl. She laughed and knelt down, finally claiming her prize. Sure enough, it did feel something like a pool…or else it was a trainers toilet.

Standing back up Cora was wondering how old Lillyian might actually be. She held up the 'pool'.

"Got it!" she called.

"Yes!" Lillyian didn't seem to be coming over to get it herself, so Cora aimed it over to where the maple tree was and chucked it, hoping it would land away from the burn site.

"Here, Strawberry, Strawberry…"

Considering Blueberry was a teddy bear, Cora figured that Strawberry would be the matching pair. There was no way any plush could have survived the flames. But, she didn't want to let the girl's hopes down.

Shaking her head, Cora looked back down to the ground, for her eyes to lay on yet another pink object. This one was paler, and more of a roundish shape. It looked like another part of the pool, as it was rater small, about as big as her hand. With a sigh she knelt down yet again, reaching out for the piece.

Her hand wrapped around it, and she started to tug to pull it free. But as she felt the object, she noticed it was rather strange. There were other things connecting onto it, and it didn't feel like plastic…it felt, rubbery…

**TWITCH**.

Cora screamed and jolted back in horror. Whatever she just touched had _moved_. Lillyian hopped over immediately after hearing the cries, and knelt down beside her.

"What's wrong?"

Cora breathed heavily, feeling her heart crawl up her throat. She placed a hand on her chest and pointed to the pink object.

"T-that t-thing just m-moved!" she gasped. Lillyian frowned and reached forward, grabbing onto it.

**TWITCH**.

Small buzzing sounds set confusion on Cora's face as Lillyian smiled wondrously. The teen glanced over to see that the object had wrapped it's self around Lillyian's wrist.

"Cora," she whispered. "It isn't a toy…it's a hand." Cora gasped. The shock immediately sent her onto her feet again.

"The robot! Oh my God, the robot!" Lillyian joined her excitement.

"Really? It's alive?"

"Let's find out!"

Cora raced over to the pile of junk that was covering it. Lillyian leapt up, the machine releasing its grip on her wrist and falling to the side. They worked together, both of them lifting the heaviest objects, but mostly Cora hauling them up and tossing them across the site.

Microwave, oven, half a wall, picture frame, arm chair leg…

Soon, the robot's face appeared, still in that calm expression it always has when it was asleep. Cora grinned and kneeled down to it.

"Awesome! It thought it would have been hell burnt! Melted and stuff!" she scraped a little grit from its horn. "You really are a tough bugger, aren't you?" she whispered. She looked up to Lillyian.

"Lilly?"

"Yeah?"

"Come help me haul it up, will ya?" with a nod the youngster leapt up over to Cora. "Here, you take a shoulder then we'll both pull, okay?" Cora did as planned but Lillyian just stared at the robot's neck with a dumbfounded face.

"What's wrong?" Cora asked.

"Uhhh," the small girl glanced around as if trying to find something. "I can't find his shoulder…" Cora jumped over with a laugh, examining the left side of him.

"You sill-dill, its right…" but her voice drifted off as well as her smile. The boy's whole left arm was gone. Cora growled and face-palmed herself.

"Damion!" she shouted to the moon, almost wanting the jerk to hear. After some complaints, Lillyian came up with the very logical plan for her to remove any troublesome debris while Cora tried to tug him free. Agreeing, they both got into their places. They grinned at each other.

"Ready in one,"

"Two,"

"THREE!"

Cora pulled, the robot sliding from under the pile, Lillyian not even having to break a sweat. Cora swiped her forehead.

"Well, that was easy!" Lillyian cheered.

"Yeah, easy for you to say." A slight groan from the robot trapped their attention. They looked down to it, leaning low and waiting for something to happen. Slowly its arm started to move. Very slowly, but moving. The robot boy's eyes then snapped open. They shined not brown, but blue. Cora thought it must be a sign that it's heavily damaged, or that something's wrong with it. The robot didn't at first interact with the two humans, just staring at the sky, sometimes tilting its head from side to side. After about five minutes it blinked and looked to Cora, then to Lillyian. Lillyian screamed out in joy and leapt down to it.

"You're awake! You're AWAKE!" she cheered.

"SHH!" Cora scolded, kneeling down to it. The robot glanced to her again, it's face not showing any emotion in particular. Cora leaned down close to its ear.

"How-do-you-feel?" she asked very clearly. The robots mouth opened and closed for a bit, but finally a few words escaped.

"C-an't…f-ee-l…a-rm…"

With a laugh Cora stood, helping Lillyian up as well.

"How are we gonna get him back to the house?"

"I guess we have to carry him…" Cora thought.

"I will!"

"I don't think so, Lillyian. Robots aren't only tough buggers, they're bloody heavy ones, too."

"Is this because I'm small?"

"No, you said it yourself- you're a big kid. I just don't want you to get hurt."

"I don't what YOU to get hurt!"

"Lillyian, I'm carrying him and that's that."

The robot glanced to each one of them as they spoke. It scraped a little on the ground to get their attention. They both looked down to it. Cora examined the state it was in. Unbelievably, he didn't look to bad.

A few more scars added to the list, and the lost arm, but overall, the fire its self didn't do anything.

Cora tried to figure out how she would carry him. Having only one arm, any way she could would be more difficult. Her first attempt failed, the robot falling to the ground with a small grunt. Each time only a fraction of its arm seemed to move. She figured the rest of the body was paralyzed. She tried again, in a attempt to carry him bridal style. This worked for a few steps, before her hands slipping and the robot falling once again.

"Do you need any help?"

The two girls flicked their heads over to Nancy, standing in satin ebony PJs. She walked over, picking up the blanket that Cora had brought.

"Nancy?"

"Nancy!"

"Hello girls," she said in a rather disapproving tone. "What are you doing out so late?"

Cora and Lillyian shuffled in the ash.

"Ummm…" Cora was thinking of an excuse, but Lillyian probably did the right thing to get them off Nancy's mind.

"We found the robot!"

Nancy's eyes widened. She stepped forward a little, looking over to the fallen object. The glowing spheres for eyes met hers. She quickly knelt down and examined it.

"Oh my God! It's still in one piece!" but then she saw the vacant space where the arm should be. "Well, _most_ of him."

"His arm was broken when we found him, so there's no surprise after being beaten and then getting trapped on a nail that it broke." Cora said.

"Wait…you _found_ this thing?" she nodded. With a scratch of her head, Nancy stood and started to walk out of the site.

"Where are you going?"

"Just wait here…"

She disappeared into the night. Cora bended down to the robot again, looking at it. After a few seconds he stared back, opening his mouth once again.

"C-or-a…s-afe?"

She smiled.

"You're a real softy, you know that?"

Soon Nancy's footsteps sounded off by the maple tree and she appeared once again, except this time with something large under her arm. The two watched as she kneeled, placing the item she had retrieved beside the robot. It was a stretcher, used by nurses in hospitals.

"Where was that?" Cora asked.

"Daddy keeps one in his shed in case something happens."

"Come on girls! Let's get it into the house."

Cora hadn't thought about where to put the robot. The house seemed impractical.

"Won't Damion be-"

"Oh, don't worry about that grumpy old man!" Nancy said, pulling a little on Lillyian's nose playfully. She laughed. Lillyian managed to get the robot onto the stretcher, in a rolling tactic.

"Has he spoken?" Nancy asked, walking around to the handles near its head. Cora took place down the other end, wrapping her hands around it.

"Yeah, he said he can't feel his arm." Nancy smiled.

"Really? He said that?" she asked with a laugh. Lillyian nodded. Cora wasn't sure she didn't add the part when he asked if she was okay. She guessed it was a natural thing, wanting to be the boss and not show any sort of connection to the robots.

They lifted the stretcher and started to walk towards the house steadily. The robot was heavy, and Cora thought she would have never managed to carry it on her own, even if Lillyian helped. She looked around the silent town, and to the sinking moon. Night time was her favorite. She had adapted to the dark as her nightmares were like an alarm clock, waking her at midnight or later.

Though she was usually alone when she was awake, she liked having Nancy and Lillyian there for company.

"Hey, why are you up, Nancy?" Cora asked as they made their way to her house, Lillyian walking along side with one hand in the robot's. Nancy smiled.

"Nightmare."


	5. New Ways

3:50am

The circus is awakening.

The first show starts at 7:00, and the kids take advantage of the early morning to see if any food could be found around the town, re-charge the robots or even steal the belongings from the other children who slept in a little too late. Poor Zig, who was the hardest worker, doesn't even have his lucky button left.

Arrow was always up first, wanting to be known as the Night Radar. When the others finally come slumbering out, he'll go to all the prettiest girls and boast about how he was up all night, defending the grounds. They didn't believe a word of it, but Arrow unfortunately had looks on his side, with his dashing blue eyes and red mo-hawk, and the girls giggle and flick their hair, eating up every word.

The circus rooms are set out in different tents and train carriages. Or, if any of the children have been bad, they get the pleasure of sleeping in a small animal cage. Hamegg would threaten to throw them in with the robots, and at his top rage he probably would of, but by night he would simply lock them in a barred enclosure. It wasn't the worst sleeping condition, but the embarrassment would take a while to shake off. They have called it the Monkey Cage.

The working robots all shutdown on the longest carriage, where nothing but a wooden table and long benches lay. The animal robots have different carts depending on their size. For the children, they are put into numbered groups, and then sleep in the carriage that matches their number.

Widget slept in carriage 9 with four other girls.

She lay awake, not wanting to get up yet, and glanced around the tight room. Two bunk beds filled it, with no openings for air or light. For that, a small candle was lit above the door. Widget looked to the bunk across from her, to a girl sleeping on the bottom like her.

She was a fifteen year old, with the only education in the circus. She ran away from her demanding family, not wanting to grow up to be a science teacher, or a ballerina. No, she loved music and street dance. Her name was Shadow. No-one knew her real name, but they bet it was something very preppy or old fashion, the way she goes on about her 'horrible' life. Some of the boys call her 'Shadow-lina'.

Her jet black hair was extremely short and spiffy. It didn't matter if it was brushed or kept, it always looked the same. She stretched her thin arm over her street design pillow, groaning a bit. Her pajamas were the same as her day cloths usually, and tonight she wore a tiny gray tank top with ripped shorts.

She looked to the other girl above Shadow.

This one was the only girl in the room that was her own age, being ten. Her name was Chloe, and she had dirty blonde hair and emerald eyes. She was picked up by the circus after two older kids named Rex and Iron found her in a box when they went to scavenge around a takeout joint back in Scapegrace Valley. She could remember her parents very well, for an abandoned kid, saying they would always fight and her dad would always threaten her. She had hated it there, so when she was introduced to the circus she worked like crazy to stay, sometimes doing a better job than people five years older than her.

Above her was Cathy, not making a sound. Widget rolled over and looked to the rotting metal of her bunk. Cathy didn't tell anyone her past. She keeps saying she can't remember, but some kids have spotted her late at night gazing at some old photos. But it's mostly a mystery. Everyone says that Cathy is the closest thing to a daughter to Hamegg because they accessed him of trusting her so much, but Widget knew it was only because she was the eldest, being twenty. Rumor has it she's a criminal. Rumor has it she was the first child Hamegg ever took under his wing. But Cathy was just Cathy to Widget, however she wanted herself to be.

"We should be getting up."

Widget smiled. The girl was like magic.

"Yeah," she agreed, sitting up. She heard rustling from above and saw a pink toe drop down to the ladder. As Cathy made her way down, Widget climbed to her feet and snatched up a watermelon jumper, chucking to over her head. Finally the tired teen touched down, still dressed in the pink stripes and blue jeans.

"Okay," she said, ruffling her red hair into shape. She smiled at Widget. "Let's go."

They pushed the door open, stepping outside the carriage to the still city. The train was parked on a track that ran straight past it to the left, where old rusty food shops and cafés stand. The big top was set in a paddock in-between two take-out joints, with the main road only a few streets away. The sky was musky with fumes of the city.

"Should we go wake Chloe and Shadow?" Widget asked softly.

"Would they do the same for you?" Cathy mumbled, scanning the grounds.

"Well, not exactly…"

"What is exactly, love?" she asked, turning to look at her. Widget's shoulders slugged.

"No."

"Exactly."

They jumped across to one stand, where tiny electronic animals were sold. Very cheap, they wouldn't last a day in the hands of a small child. The spiky yellow grass prickled their heels as the skipped over near the Big Top, skidding to a stop.

"Where is Arrow?" Widget asked.

"I don't know. If he's not up before us, he'll never hear the end of it."

**RUSTLE**.

The sound of chains moving fill their ears.

Their heads darted around the area, searching for where the noise might be.

"What was that?" Widget asked.

"Shhh…"

**RUSTLE**.

"Over here, quick!"

They darted around the different stalls until they came to the cotton candy booth.

"Help!" a cry let out on the other side. Widget knew that voice anywhere.

Arrow.

"Over there!" she quickly leapt over to come face to face with Arrow…in the Monkey Cage.

He wrapped his hands around the bars and leaned forward. When he got a glimpse of who it was, he groaned.

"Great…Widget."

Widget just burst out laughing.

"You're in the Monkey Cage?" Just the thought of it made her crack up.

"What's going on?" Cathy asked, walking over.

"Cathy! Thank God!" Arrow cried.

Cathy took one look at Arrow…and almost collapsed on Widget, laughing with her.

"You are so busted!" she choked out, tears streaming down her face. Arrow crossed his arms stubbornly.

"You guys are just retards." He insulted. But not even the ultimate pay out could look cool inside a cage. "I was just too cool, so Hamegg had to contain my awesomeness," he boasted.

"Trapped in a cage, and still got your big head, 'ay Arrow?" Cathy smiled, reaching through the bars and ruffling his hair.

"What on Earth did you do?!" Widget laughed.

"I was hungry!" is all Arrow responded with. Cathy looked to the cage, and then to the candy floss machine. It didn't take a genius.

"Oh God, Arrow. Don't you have enough stolen sweets from the children?"

"Yeah but nothing as good as fresh candy floss! Now help me outta here!"

"No way!" Widget scoffed, her laughter finally dying down. "In my opinion, you should have gotten chucked in with the robots!"

"That's enough Widget. I'm sorry Arrow, Hamegg only has the keys."

"Well, go get them! He trusts you!"

"He's fast asleep."

"Even better." Cathy took an offended step back.

"You want me to _steal_ Hamegg's keys? I'll end up in the Monkey Cage with you!"

"Nice try, Arrow, but you've been a bad boy!" Widget said, crossing her arms.

"Whatever," he mumbled.

Suddenly some yelling and running could be heard, heading towards them. Racing into the spot light came Sludge, Speck and Pepper.

Arrow would die if Pepper saw him. She was one of the most gorgeous looking girls in the circus, with a curvaceous body and tanned skin, sky blue eyes and glossy brown hair that curled to her waist. As she ran, it swayed behind her, brushing against her short pink dress.

Speck was one of the older boys, being seventeen, and had chocolate brown hair that matched his eyes. His skin was tanned to almost black, but his light brown freckles stood out, causing a funny collision of shades. Because of this, everyone called him Speck, though his real name was Hector. He was glad to change it.

They all halted to a stop in front of the cage, Pepper already cupping her hand over her mouth with laughter.

"What the hell did you do?" Speck asked, shaking his head. Sludge walked over to Widget and poked his tongue out. Arrow returned it.

"Oh my god, where's my camera?" Pepper squeaked.

"Don't you dare!"

"How's it going, darlin'?" Speck asked, stepping closer to Cathy.

Did I mention he has a major crush on her?

"Lookin' good."

…and _isn't_ afraid to show it?

"Oh please…" Cathy mumbled. "You're too young for me, kiddo."

"HELOOOOOO?" Arrow waved his arms around the cage. "GET ME OUTTA HERE!"

"Any news on Cora?" Sludge asked.

"I was just about to ask you the same thing…" Widget said glumly, lowering her head. Speck ruffled Sludge's hair.

"Hey, cheer up Lil Badger."

No-one was sure where that nickname came from but Speck has called Sludge that since forever. Sludge was pretty sure Speck doesn't even know his real name. They think it was when they were talking about all the animals that were extinct, and when they explained the disruption of a badger to Speck, he found some resemblance to Sludge.

Don't ask.

"No point warring, there probably basking in the sun on a nice junk mound!"

"Hello? Is anybody listening?" Arrow was ignored once more.

"Oh please, that girl wouldn't survive one day on her own," Pepper snubbed.

Cora didn't get along with most of the other girls, beside Cathy and a few others. Pepper had always been jealous of Cora's boy-like strength and agility, and how she was constantly praised by one boy named Reno, whom she had an obvious crush on. But Reno wasn't looking for a girlfriend. He was in love with the science of robotic technology, and spends more time with machines than people.

"Yeah," Cathy laughed, "And you could last a week!"

The sarcasm burned in her ears.

"I could so!"

"You couldn't last one night in that Monkey Cage!"

"EXACTLY! Get me out of here!" Finally everyone looked to Arrow.

"It's a punishment, man. Now shut it." Speck turned to Cathy again. "Found some good junk mounds you and me could scavenge, ay lovey?"

A perfect example of circus boys flirting.

"Oh, you flatter me so." Cathy dead panned.

"Leave the girl alone, would you?" Sludge said. Speck turned around with his 'serious face' on.

"Oh, you wanna go?" he threatened. Cathy pushed through the middle of the two.

"Alright ladies, enough."

"I wanna see Cora and Zane again!" Widget suddenly cried out. Cathy looked to her, and kneeled down in front of her drooping head. She put her soft palms on the side of her face and lifted it.

"Sweetie, look at me."

With a sigh Widget looked to Cathy.

"They might not be dead. I hate to say it, but Speck is probably right. Cora and Zane can survive _anything_." Widget's eyes lightened.

"Anything?" Cathy smiled.

"Well, come on. What could they _possibly_ get themselves into?"

* * *

><p>The night had gotten thin, the sky turning a shade of deep blue. The stars were gone, and a light breeze picked up clouds of dust and ash, throwing it around the town. Most people were fast asleep. But not Cora…<p>

"How do we get ourselves _into_ these messes?" Cora asked, entering the lounge room. Nancy let out a laugh.

"I remember when I was seventeen. Ahhh, good times…" Cora tightened her grip on the stretcher.

"Yeah… bloody brilliant…"

They stepped over to the couch and placed the stretcher down. Nancy and Cora slowly lifted the robot with many grunts and groans, and almost chucked him onto the soft pillows. The robot didn't seem to mind getting tossed about like a doll, and remained occupied by admiring its surroundings. Nancy wiped her forehead and examined him with Cora. The teenager saw that all of the robot's cloths had been burnt off. Luckily he was made with a custom Speedo, black and green. Lillyian shuffled on the spot, fidgeting her hands and letting out noises that resembled a seagull. Cora twisted around.

"You okay?"

"Yeah!"

Her tone said one thing, but her expression said another.

Cora leaned over to the robot. He was looking around the room, but now his eyes locked on hers. As she looked closer, she noticed the blue was weakening in his eyes, and they were slowly turning back to the hazel brown. She hoped it meant that he was repairing, or getting his functions together.

"He's getting better," Cora informed. Nancy looked over. The robot looked at Nancy.

"Yes, he does seem to be interacting more."

The robot boy's ear flickered as Cora breathed on him. Lillyian giggled, but her laughter died down as the boy then looked to her.

"Well, I'll see if I can fix up some scars, and those wires that are exposed."

"But how will you do that? This town has no technology, right? Ha, unless you were planning on making the microwave doing the job." Cora muttered. Nancy stood up straight.

"Well, when Damion and Lennox came here, all their past tools were far too expensive to throw out, and you don't get many passersby around here, so it's extremely hard to make a sale. So they still have a shed FULL of the junk."

With an understanding nod from Cora, Nancy walked over to the door. She had a kind of proudness in her step, and every minute with her Cora picked up all the city like behavior. She couldn't imagine a place where the properness was a simple requirement.

"Wait here." The door closed and they heard the robot let out a hum of confusion. The teen spun around to Lillyian.

"Okay, spill. Something's up." Lillyian looked to the ground, and mumbled a bit.

"The robot, I know he's different, but he's malfunctioned. And this town has a bad past of malfunctioned robots…"

A pale hand placed on her shoulder. Lillyian looked up to Cora.

"I won't let anything hurt you, don't worry."

**KNOCK**.

The two raced over to the door and pulled it open as Nancy stumbled in carrying a huge box full of tools. No wonder she couldn't open it on her own. She walked over and dumped the box next to the couch. She looked up.

"Alright girls! Let's get fixing!"

For the next hour the two helped Nancy to repair the robot, passing over screwdrivers and other tools they couldn't name. Nancy was a brilliant mechanic, no doubt she was educated in the subject. Cora was happy to think that Reno was almost just as good. The whole hour felt like just another day with him back at the circus, and Cora got quite bored. The robot seemed to agree, as it had fallen asleep half way through.

Finally Nancy had done all she could. The scars were sealed, and the wires on the shoulder were clicked back into place. There was a big debate on where the robot should stay. Nancy wanted Cora to bunk with Lillyian so that the robot could stay in the lounge room. But Lillyian wanted the robot to go in her room.

"I don't care," Cora had muttered, and the robot was placed into small bed by the youngsters. Cora fell asleep shortly afterwards, shivering. Nancy tucked Lillyian in, after having a laugh when she placed one of her blankets over the robot and tucked him in first.

"Good night."

Those were the only words spoken for the next two hours

* * *

><p>"My arm hurts…"<p>

Lillyian awoke with a grin. The robot's voice wasn't broke or cracked and sounded as healthy as her own. She leaned her head over and looked to him. He was looking to the roof, his eyes back to the normal brown color. The night was getting lighter, the light casting shadows to dance across the walls, and she could hear birds start to chirp.

"You're awake!" she leapt down from the bed, tossing the quilts onto the floor. She kneeled down next to him. He looked to her. Only one thing was written on his face- confusion, complete and utter.

"I'm dead..." he mumbled. Lillyian laughed and wrapped her arms around his neck.

"No!" she told him. The robot let her hug him. He was too mixed in his own thoughts to push her off.

"But the house…it fell…no-one came…" a moment of silence past. The robot leaned close to Lillian's ears. "Are you dead?" he whispered.

More laughter erupted from the small girl, letting go of him and sitting up. "NO!" she laughed.

"I…the house…" the girl placed a finger on his lips.

"Shhh, your alive! My dad made a BIG mistake, the house did fall, but you survived, and

we found you!"

"We?"

"Yeah, me and Cora."

Suddenly the robot's mind clicked, and the information raced through. _So, I was in the house when it fell._ _Damion technically killed me…and then Cora and Lillyian found me…and now I'm in a house…_

He tried to sit up, but he couldn't. His left arm didn't hurt anymore, but it didn't exactly feel better either…he looked down to it.

But it wasn't there.

He let out a cry and jolted away, not that he could from his own shoulder. "My arm! It's gone!" Lillyian placed hand on his shoulder.

"I know, it fell off." The robot gulped.

"_Fell off_?"

"Don't worry, we'll find it in the morning." The robot just looked at her strangely. A lost limb was a lot to take in.

"S-so you can fix it?"

"Yeah, Nancy will fix it!" she comforted. The robot frowned.

"Who's Nancy?" he asked.

"She let all of us stay in her house, and she's the one that mended you." She answered in a cheery voice. The robot shuffled his shoulder a bit. Lillyian sighed and put her hands on her hips, imitating Abigail when she had done something wrong. "Do you want me to help you up?"

The robot stopped struggling and looked to her.

"Maybe…" he said meekly. Lillyian smiled and pushed his back up, helping him into a sitting position.

"Thank you," he praised. Lillyian smiled.

"You're a very polite robot." The boy cocked his head.

"I thought this town hated robots."

"No, not all of them. Mostly it's just my family…"

A moment passed.

"And you don't hate robots?"

"Well, some of them give me the creeps. But not you! You're different. Nice. You're my friend." The robot didn't have a friend yet, and it felt good to have someone on his side.

"Thank you."

Lillyian grinned at him. For a few silent minuets, Lillyian examined the robot while the robot examined the room. Soon, she let out a sigh and stood, picking up her quilts and rearranging them on her bed. With a squeaky grunt she climbed into the covers and laid down, looking to the window. The robot watched her before doing the same, resting on his back once more. More moments past without words, until Lillyian asked a question that hadn't occurred to the robot before.

"Do you have a name?"

He winced his head to her.

"Umm, robot?" Lillyian let out a laugh.

"No silly! A proper name," she said, turning her head for her eyes to meet his. He hummed in thought.

"Well, Zane and Cora did try and give me a name, but none of those 'human names' suited me that much…"

Lillyian's gaze returned to the window, looking to the sky. After a while, a word the robot had never heard before sounded from the bed.

"Atom."

"…What?"

"Your name. Could it be Atom?"

"Where did you get that name from?" Lillyian sighed dreamily.

"If you look outside at night, you can only see one really bright star. I sing to it sometimes, and gave it a name. Atom."

"…And?"

"Do you want it?"

"Want what?"

"The name, silly."

"No, it's yours." Lillyian looked to him.

"It's the star's. But I gave it to it, and I can take it away. So, Atom?"

"Atom…" the robot played the name on his lips. He liked the sound of it. It seemed to suit him, original and unique. "It's perfect. Thank you." Atom said with a grin.

"You're welcome, Atom."

Lillyian rolled over, with a yawn and got comfortable. Atom smiled.

"Say it again…"

Lillyian laughed. "You're welcome, Atom."

"Thank you, Lillyian."

…

"You're welcome, Atom."

Atom laughed and continued the game. "Thank you, Lillyian."

"You're welcome, Atom."

"Thank you, Lillyian."

It went on until their complements were just whispers, and Lillyian stopped all together. Atom smiled and closed his eyes, thinking that Lillyian must have drifted off. But that theory was shattered when he heard something he didn't see coming.

"Atom…can you be my new brother?"

He wasn't sure if he had heard her right. But just in case…

"Sure."

Lillyian grinned and snuggled down. Atom smiled as well, and let his head fall to the side as he powered down.

* * *

><p>Only when it was early morning did Cora cease to shiver. Her nerves loosened gleefully as the warmth heated up the Surface. Outside the villagers were starting to rise and get to work, and Lennox was proudly digging in his veggie patch while Scooter decided to have a precious sleep in.<p>

The same smells from Abigail's house filled Cora's nose as her eyes slowly opened. She groaned a bit and stretched her arms, noticing the bruising felt much better. But she noticed something strange. She was on a mattress, not the couch. Her eye sight adjusted and she saw a bed towering next to her, with a face looking over the side.

Scruffy blue hair, frowning grey eyes.

She felt her heart clog in a surprised gasp. "Zane?"

"What are you doing here?" they both asked each other. Cora jolted up and glanced around. Sure enough, she was in the guest room on a spare mattress.

"How did I get here?"

"I dunno. Maybe Nancy carried you in here. I wouldn't blame her- I could hear your teeth chattering from in here!" Cora stood, dusted her singlet and straightened out her shorts.

"Hey, you can't talk Mr Snore Ville," she snapped, walking over to the end of the bed. Zane looked surprised.

"What?"

"Oh please! You snore like one of Autumn's tractors!" Zane took a moment to think for a moment, frowning. Cora shook her head.

_Though a lovable guy, he's certainly not the brightest_, she thought to herself, smiling at the dumb-founded face.

Suddenly her ears pricked up to a sound coming from the kitchen. It sounded like a woman, letting out shrill noises. She couldn't work out if it was laughter or crying, or just screaming. Her eyes widened as she turned to the door.

"Oh no..."

"Do you hear that?" Zane asked, dropping the snoring topic.

"I think the robots awake," Cora thought aloud. If it was just Nancy it would be fine, but if Damion saw it first it would be dead meat. The closest voice she clicked to was Abigail, but she didn't know what sort of reaction she would give him.

Zane stumbled. "Excuse me? Robot?"

"Me and Lillyian found the robot last night..." Cora replied, not thinking of her friend's confusion and quickly darting to the door.

"WHAT?"

She pushed through the old wood and stepped into the hall, not paying attention to Zane as the door slammed in his face. She quietly made her way down the hall, the high-pitched talking becoming clearer. Cora took a glance to each bedroom door, but they were closed. Soon, she arrived in the opening of the kitchen.

She couldn't believe it.

She struggled to keep the laughter in.

There was Abigail, standing in front of the robot with a wild grin. But it wasn't what she was doing, it was what she was saying.

Abigail bit her knuckles for a moment, thinking, then grinned.

"OO! Can you speak?"

The poor robot didn't know what to think or how to react to the behavior. He looked much more lively and was still wearing his black Speedo with his knee high boots.

"Ummm?"

"OH MY GOD THAT'S BRILLIANT! Can you...can you sit down?"

Atom sat down on the edge of the couch obediently. Abigail clapped her hands in delight. Cora shook her head. The woman didn't have a clue about robots.

_Amateur..._

"Can you run? Oh! Can you cook? Can you cry? Can you-"

"AHEM!"

The two flinched towards Cora, emerging from the hall. Atom seemed to be in full relief, Abigail just seemed surprised.

"Good morning, Mrs Chrome." Cora said politely. "I see you have met terms with our robot."

Atom jumped up from the couch and quickly scampered over next to her. She looked to him and scoffed out a laugh. He looked as scared as a rabbit being chased by a killer dog.

"It's extremely fascinating! I mean, it not only looks like a human," Abigail explained, walking over, "It reacts like one, talks like one! I can't _believe_ Damion didn't let us have one! Well, of course we don't have any working bots here..."

Her eyes then shot up to Atom.

"Where can we get one?" She asked eagerly. Atom shuffled a bit. He didn't really know if there was any other robots like him. The thought of him being a particular brand made him feel uncomfortable.

"Umm, I'm sorry but we think this _particular_ one was a onetime only," Cora explained, sharing a glance with Atom.

"Well, how much do you want for it?"

Atom jolted. Cora was shocked at the woman's quick change of heart for the robot. She suddenly felt Atom slide his fingers around her wrist, sending cold shivers to snake up her spine. Without saying anything, they both knew that a sale was out of the question.

"I'm sorry, but it isn't for sale..." Atom quickly nodded his head in agreement. Abigail's shoulders slumped a bit.

"Yes well, I guess Damion wouldn't be too happy about it." She said glumly. Cora frowned. The sudden idea that Abigail was in some what a prisoner came to mind.

_Who was that guy to tell Abigail what to fear, and what to love? What to keep, and what to avoid?_

She looked to Atom and smiled. "But, since where the guests in town and all, I think that our robot could maybe give you a hand in the kitchen?" Cora proposed, ignoring Atom's sudden desperate expression and jerk of his head. Abigail beamed.

"Splendid! I'll just go and see if Lillyian is awake..." and with that, she left the room with creaks following every step. Atom let go of Cora's wrist and held his head in dismay.

"That...woman...is _killing_ me."

"Don't be rude, she's only interested," the teen explained, looking over to the scrunched up blankets on the couch. "How's your arm by the way?"

"What's there to know? It's gone!" Cora turned to him.

"Don't raise your voice. What I _meant_ is, does anything hurt too bad?" Atom examined himself for a moment, then shook his head.

"I feel fine."

"Good."

They stood in silence for a bit, hearing Abigail and Lillyian talk from the bedroom. Cora looked to the ceiling and played with the ends of her singlet, while Atom shuffled his boots and looked around the kitchen.

_Talk about awkward..._

To break it, Cora took a deep breath and turned quickly to Atom, clearing her throat. Not even waiting for Atom to look at her, she quickly sent her message. "ThankyouforsavingmewhenwefellofftheRidge." It all came out in a blur of words. The robot frowned and cocked his head.

"Pardon?"

Cora bit her lip and sighed. "I just want to kinda thank you for saving my live...you know, when we fell off the Ridge..." She then quickly darted her head away.

Atom smiled. "Is it really that hard to say thank you to a robot?"

She slowly looked up at him, frowning. His smile remained, innocent and sickingly human. For one strange moment, she felt her heart sink a bit. She shook her head, and even without wanting to, words slipped out of her mouth. "So human..."

Atom's smile faded and he frowned a bit.

"ATOM!"

The two jolted around to the excited Lillyian, awake and back to her bubbly self, complete with purple and orange giraffe PJs. Cora frowned as she raced up and hugged the boy around the waist.

"Atom?" she repeated. The robot hugged the small girl with his one arm.

"It's my name." He said. Lillyian slipped from the embrace and grinned at him. She turned to Cora.

"I made it up!" she yelled boldly.

"You don't have to refer me to Atom, just I thought-"

"No, no. Atom is fine, it's better than 'robot boy' all the time." Cora said with a smile. She nodded to him. "Atom it is."

"YAY!" Lillyian cheered. Abigail and Zane then entered the room. Zane, wearing his now clean jacket and jeans, jolted at the sight of the activated Atom.

"HOLY! It's true! You did find it!" he cried, running up and circling around Atom. "Nifty, you look alright..." but then he turned to see the missing limb. His face dropped. "Oh geeze..."

"Nancy is out to the shed now." Abigail informed. "When she comes back she'll-"

"Good morning everyone!" as if on cue, Nancy appeared at the door, carrying a small box filled with tools.

"NANCY!" Lillyian cheered. The bright woman swished past her and over to the couch, laying the box on the ground next to the larger one still left from last night.

"Good morning, sweet!" she took a moment to dust her hands and look around the room, smiling to each person. "Cora," she nodded, "Hope you had a warmer sleep in Zane's room." Cora smiled and returned a nod. Nancy looked to Zane and chuckled. "I think you had one of the best sleeps of your life! Not as much hot chocolate next time!" Zane tried to look offended, but couldn't help a laugh as Cora elbowed him in the gut. "Feeling any better, Abigail?" Nancy asked, concerned. She nodded and smiled.

"Yes thank-you, Nancy. Still a bit shaken, but nothing visual."

Nancy smiled. Her eyes traced over to Atom. She and him were the first ones up, but all that was said to each other was a quick note that Nancy had to go to the shed for tools and Atom giving some reference to his new name. She smiled and gestured for him to come over.

"Atom, come over here. Let's see what we can do about that arm of yours, hmmm?"

Atom nodded shakily and treaded forward, standing in the middle of the couches. Nancy set to work, leaning down and looking through all the tools, even tossing some aside. She inspected each one, gave it a slight hum of consideration, then threw it back. Cora was fascinated by her knowledge of mechanics- every single tiny tool, screw or bolt she looked at like she had used it a hundred times before, and was thinking whether it was perfect. Soon though, she rose holding what Atom dreaded.

_Out of all the tools, why that one?_ He thought in dismay.

Indeed the appliance looked dangerous, with a thin bar of metal with a small curved hook at the end sticking out of the green handle. Atom gulped. Nancy stopped fiddling with it and looked to Atom's scared face. "Don't worry!" She said, stepping over and placing one cool hand on his shoulder, leaning in on the exposed wires and circuits. "I'm a professional."

While Nancy fidgeted with the robot, Atom letting out small yelps or gasps now and then, Abigail went on with her daily job- cooking breakfast. Lillyian, Cora and Zane gathered on the couch to watch Nancy do her work.

"EEP!" Atom flinched. Cora and Zane snickered. Nancy looked up.

"Sorry!"

Lillyian leapt up and held onto Atom's hand for comfort as she did when they had carried him on the stretcher.

"It's okay." Atom smiled down at her. Soon they could hear a sizzling sound upraise from the kitchen as Abigail prepared the fry pan.

"Anyone disprove pancakes?" she called over to them.

"YUM!"

"Yes please!"

"Thanks!"

"No thank you..." They all looked to Atom as he responded.

"Not you!" Nancy laughed, pulling on his ear a little playfully. Atom shrunk down. Nancy snapped her head to Cora and Zane. "Why don't you two go have an arm treasure hunt, hmm?"

Cora nodded, but Zane's face turned slightly pale. "W-what?" Cora tugged on his shirt.

"Atom's arm, stupid! Come on!" she urged, running up to the door.

"Oh...yeah, right," he mumbled, lamely following.

"Be careful!" Nancy called.

"AND HURRY!"

The morning was nothing short of beautiful. The grasses were just shedding out of their winter skin, changing to bright green to yellow. The sun was partly hidden by the pure white misty clouds. Some in the distance were a churning gray, whispering promises of rain across the Out Skirt range, and a small breeze was whisking up dust and white ash.

Zane and Cora passed by the different villagers who gave them smiles, nods, or just small glances. Most didn't treat them badly like Cora had once thought. She maybe guessed that they would partly blame them for the events the day before, for if they weren't there it would've never happened. Also they had practically insulted their policy.

But no source of aggression or hatred was shown, just kindness or a touch of curiosity. The two teens made their way to the burn site and got searching. While they lifted the debris and ruin, Cora told Zane of how she and Lillyian came to find Atom, of course taking out the nightmare part. Cora never spoke of her nightmares in detail. She didn't want the trouble of people asking what was wrong- that would lead to the secrets of her past, which she wanted to keep personal forever.

Zane shuffled around in the ash, paying more attention to the black Wonderland than committing to the task they were given. Cora smartly trudged over to where she found the robot, and lifted pieces of scorched wall. They kept themselves occupied by thinking about how the others would react when they rocked up, not only alive, but with this extremely expensive robot.

"What would he be worth in Metro City?" Zane called from his idle place a few meters from where Cora was digging. She swiped her forehead.

"I dunno. Couple hundred thousand?"

Zane edged closer with a smile.

"A million?" he cooed. Cora gave him a look.

"What, you're just gonna steal Atom from me in the night and shit off to Metro City?"

"...We both could?"

Cora's heart skipped a beat. She wasn't sure if it was from a misshaped laugh she failed to express, or maybe even that glint of excitement. She started to think.

_Holy crap...we COULD leave the circus! We just hitch a ride up there, sell Atom back to his creator and BAM! No more circus work. We would be living the dream, teen millionaires!_

But one thing struck her.

"Sludge and Widget?" She asked as she went back to tossing and digging. Zane gave a careless gesture.

"Yeah, yeah, of course we'll go back for them!" he jumped over to her with new found enthusiasm. "But just...just think about it! Rich...Metro City..."

The echoing words spread a smile on their lips like a spell.

"But what if we never find its owner?"

"Pfft!" Zane looked back to Nancy's house. "Would it matter? The highest bidder, in my opinion..."

"I dunno...I would feel back about- ARRRG!"

Suddenly Cora let out a horrified gasp and leapt over to Zane, her body tensing. Zane frowned at her, then trudged over to what the cause of her reaction was.

Atom's arm.

With a laugh Zane picked it up by the elbow. It didn't seem too damaged at all, just dusty. He jerked it in Cora's face. "OOOOO! IT'S GOING TO GRAB YOOOUUUUU!" he yelled stupidly.

Cora relaxed and gave Zane a shake of her head.

"Real mature, Zane."

"KIIIILLLL..."

He brushed one of the fingers across her cheek.

"ERRG!" Cora slapped it away, sending Zane in a fit of laughs and snorts. "CAN IT!"

"You are scared of a fake arm! HAHAHAHA!"

The annoyed teen walked over and jerked on the boy's collar, cutting his giggle to a stop.

"Come on," she snapped. Zane grinned goofily and followed behind her, occasionally poking her with Atom's arm.

"You're freaked out, admit it!"

"You gotta admit Zane," Cora said as they passed back through the town, some people giving them absurd looks, probably wondering what a teenage boy was doing waving around an arm, "It's kinda creepy. That's technically a _dead_ arm. You're holding a _dead arm_."

Zane barely heard a word.

They made their way through into the lounge room, a strong whiff of pancake batter and cinnamon filling the air. Much better than the smell of ash. With a leap of joy from Lillyian and an approving nod from Nancy, Zane and Cora handed the arm over to be mended back into place. Atom seemed very disturbed having everyone in the room passing down his own arm- and, really, no-one could blame him.

Well, how would you feel if you saw your own arm, unattached from you?

While Nancy worked hard on Atom- not daring to make a move, Lillyian, Zane and Cora gathered around a small dining table between the kitchen and lounge room for breakfast. There, they discussed transportation with Abigail.

Cora leaned over to Zane's ear. "Do you even know where the circus is?"

They had just arrived at the place, and straight away went on scavenging duty, so nowhere seemed to ring a bell. And that bump on the head from the fall didn't exactly bring the memory bird back.

Zane shook his head. "Nah."

"CIRCUS?" Lillyian's eyes grew wide with interest.

_Shoot. Busted._

"Can we go to the circus, mommy?" the child begged. Abigail frowned at Zane and Cora.

"Circus?" she asked. The two teens awkwardly glanced at each other. Then Zane did the smartest thing he'd done that week.

"Y-yeah. I remember our house being near the circus that just dropped in. You know, the Great Robot Circus?" With a trusty smile from Cora, Zane finished up. "You know it?"

Abigail scratched her carrot orange hair, her freckles bunching up in thought. Suddenly her eyes lit up and she left her seat, walking over to the old drawer. "You still have that flyer, don't you Nancy?"

Nancy waited a full 20 seconds before looking up from Atom, glancing to Abigail. "What? Oh! Yeah, top drawer..." she replied poorly before returning to Atom's arm. Abigail nodded and slid it open, shuffling around in it before returning to the table with a brightly colored piece of paper.

She placed it on the surface of the table to show the two. Before them was a very familiar article.

The flyer showed Hamegg proudly standing in the middle of a circus ring with his whip, surrounded by various robots and robot animals. Down the bottom read,

'_The Greatest Robot Show Around! Now Showing In Sunset City!_'

"Sunset City!" Zane cheered. Cora joined his relief. They grinned at each other and shared a hug.

"We're going home!" Cora gasped. Abigail smiled and stood to return the flyer to its place. Lillyian sobbed a bit, clasping the teens attention. They looked to her.

"Y-your leaving?" she whimpered. Cora placed a hand on her shoulder.

"We have homes too, Lillyian."

"W-will you be taking Atom, too?" she said, wiping her eye. They both nodded. Lillyian quickly flinched over to Atom, who gave her a quick smile, though he was rather sad too.

He would much rather live in Autumn than travel to the Robot Circus for a home. He wanted to stay with Lillyian. Maybe he could clear out the odds with Damion and Scooter and the town. He could be the town's only robot. I liked the sound of that.

But he knew it was out if the question. Cora wouldn't allow it. After all, it was him who got them sucked into this mess.

After finishing breakfast, Abigail called Scooter in to discuss the best route to Sunset City from here, and perhaps give them a head start in his pickup truck. After having quite a jolt at Atom, he settled down with Zane and Cora, passing on the vital info.

"I'll give ya a lift to the fork in the road. Then you must turn RIGHT- it'll lead ya into the forest. Keep following the path until you start to reach bigger roads. You should be approaching the town Scarlet Lake, if that's the case. Keep up the main road, and walk until you reach the old railway station. The train there will probably be runnin' past Green Fields, and that's a long way so it might take a day's travel. When it stops at a place called Sparks, that's your stop. Be careful around there- that place is a wild party casino heaven!" Though saying this as a warning, Scooter seemed like he called the place his second home, "Any who, Sparks leads into the backstreets of Sunset City. Hopefully you can make it from there."

With that Scooter passed on a rugged little map, the path highlighted in blue pen. Thanking him, Cora passed it roughly to Zane.

"DON'T forget about this one THIS time, Zane!" she warned him kiddingly.

After about half an hour, Nancy had reconnected Atom's arm. Zane and Cora had passed the time by exploring the town and its people. The Bella family Cora particularly liked. The three blond children were so sweet, and their mother was quite young, only 20. Zane much preferred Lennox and his stories of hunting down robots and wild rabbits. But soon it was time to leave.

Atom flexed his left arm with a grin. It didn't hurt, it didn't malfunction. But best of all- it was there!

He let out a laugh. "Well," Nancy said, rubbing (or rather smearing) grease from her cheek. "How does it feel?"

"Brilliant!"

Nancy smiled. Atom wriggled his fingers. Curled his wrist. Snapped his fingers. Everything just felt so good to move again. He smiled at Nancy. "Thank you."

"Ha!" the humble woman replied. "It was nothing! I should be thanking you- it's nice to feel like I'm in business again. Especially with something as remarkable as you."

"Thank you anyway," the robot pestered his complement. He turned to bump into Lillyian, starting to sob slightly. He tilted his head and bended down to her.

"Maybe we'll meet again one day?" he offered. She wiped her nose and nodded sadly.

Outside, Nancy, Zane and Cora were out by Scooter's truck he had parked by the Maple Tree. It was quite a rusty thing, with doors slightly not hooked on and the wheels slightly on a tilt. It had been through a lot obviously, with its washed out red coating. While Scooter worked out the kinks (he hadn't driven in a long time) and filled the tank, Nancy talked with Cora and Zane with a surprising conversation.

"So...you two call the circus home, do you?"

They looked at each other with shock. "Y-you know?" Zane stumbled. They all looked to the house for a moment as Atom walked out with Lillyian and made his way to the truck, them hand in hand.

"I figured it out. I know a fair bit about circus kids, honey, but your secrets safe. That's why you were out in the Wastelands, wasn't it? Pick up robots for it?" They looked to each other and slowly nodded. Nancy glanced to Atom and bit her lip. "Now," she said firmly, "I want you two to PROMISE you won't let Atom get too battered in the ring. I don't want to stumble across him in the Wastelands again, except he's in pieces. Got it?"

Zane swallowed and the two looked to Atom.

"Alright guys! Everyone in the truck!" Scooter called. Cora shook Nancy's hand.

"We'll try." She smiled. Nancy pulled her into a hug.

"I'll miss you, dears." Cora had no trouble hugging back.

"I'll miss you more. You're an incredible woman, Nancy." Zane embraced with them in a tight group hug.

Atom looked to Lillyian and sighed. "Well, I guess this is my lift." She squeezed his hand.

"I'll miss you! Soooo much!"

She leapt up and tightly hugged him, wrapping her small arms around his torso. Atom hugged her back with just as much passion.

Suddenly Abigail could be heard yelling in the house. And someone was yelling back, barking about something.

"Oh no..." Nancy gulped. Scooter, who was sitting in the driver's seat, leaned over cautiously and slowly closed the car door. Cora recognized the usual loud aggressive voice.

"Atom..." she called softly. Atom and Lillyian parted, him glancing to Cora.

"Yeah?"

"You _may_ want to make a run for your life to the truck..."

"WHERE IS IT?!" As expected, Damion appeared at the thrown open door, his face red with anger. Atom's eyes widened and he slowly edged towards the car door. Cora scowled and Zane tensed.

Damion's head slashed over to stop the terrified Atom, etching away. He raised his finger.

"YOU!" he started to walk towards him, but Abigail held him back.

"Damion, sweetie! It isn't harmful, it's-"

"I'LL KILL IT! I'LL KILL EVERY LAST ONE OF THEM!" he screeched as he struggled to push past Abigail. She looked over to them and quickly mouthed,

_'Run!'_

With that warning Scooter started the truck, the engine coughing into life. Without even waiting for the teens or robot to reach the door, he shot it forward.

"JUMP IN THE BACK!" he called as Cora and Zane took chase, Atom following behind. Seeing the target get away, Damion ducked down into the house to retrieve his gun. Atom pulled ahead with inhuman speed as the truck descended out from the town, and grabbed onto the edge. With a small groan he pulled himself up onto the end of the truck, almost falling onto the rough dirt. Damion leapt out from the house and aimed his revolver at Atom's head as it reached out to grab onto Cora's hand. "Take this you little..."

"ATOM WATCH OUT!"

Hearing Lillyian's warning, Atom jolted his head up just to miss a flying bullet.

"ATOM!" Cora yelped, now seeing this chase was a matter of life and death. Scooter sped up even more upon hearing the gunshot. Atom stretched his arm as far as it would go, their fingertips just touching.

"JUST JUMP!" Atom yelled. As her last resource, Cora linked arms with Zane and leapt forward, as much to Zane surprised gasp. Three more rounds were shot by Damion, but succeeded in only chipping the backing headlights. Atom stood and strained his legs, pulling the two teens up with a pull back of his arm. The two went flying head first into the back, them collapsing all over each other with weary groans.

Damion chucked the gun on the dusty ground in anger, turning and kicking the side of the house. Abigail placed a hand on his shoulder. "Damion, honey...we need to talk..."

Lillyian stared after the truck as it rolled out of town. She waved her hand. "GOODBYE!"

Atom looked up from Cora and Zane (still painfully lying on their backs) to Lillyian. With a smile, he lifted his left arm and waved back.


	6. Once On Foot

It wasn't long before the town was swallowed by the dust clouds, erupting from the back of the truck. Atom smiled down at Cora and Zane, lying next to each other, expressing loud groans of pain.

"You okay?" Cora mumbled to Zane. He slowly pulled himself up, straining his back.

"Yeah, I'm good..." with a slight limp, Zane pulled himself up and sat upon one of three small hay bales packed in the corners of the small area. Cora moaned again, flinging an arm over her eyes and holding another out for help. The robot leaned down and locked grips, pulling her up with ease.

"Ahhh, thank you Zane..." Cora opened her eyes to see not Zane, like she had expected. Atom smirked. "Oh! Uhhh, Atom!" she exclaimed, caught off guard. Zane snorted from his seat.

"Ark-ward..." he sang.

Cora scowled and ripped her arm away from the robot's grip without a simple thank you. The boy robot shrugged, and moved his way over to another hay bale, adopting it as a seat. Cora found it much more difficult to even take a step, as Scooter seemed to handle the steering as if he were riding a kicking bull. But soon they all were sitting upon the scratchy straw, looking at the fast moving world around them, which included more piles of junk and scenery almost all the same to Autumn.

For the next half hour the truck rambled on. Cora and Zane talked to one another about this and that, while Atom seemed to like just staring at the sky with a curious expression painted on his face. He seemed to be mesmerized by the sight of the beautiful clouds and sun.

As more time passed, they approached another Out Skirts town. Scooter eagerly rolled his window down and slowed down the vehicle. The town wasn't much, maybe a bit smaller than Autumn, with more man-made huts than metal houses. The structures were built from old wood and sticks, one of them bricks.

Scooter waved his arm out to the only people out, three men sitting on tucker boxes on an old porch. Two were very similar, having a strong build with chocolate brown hair, one with a red bandana around his forehead and then other with a harmonica to his lips. The other was much older, having a white beard and looking freakishly boney. A cap was pulled backwards over his head so you couldn't guess whether he had hair or not. Perhaps that was the idea of it.

"Hey Hicker, Scraps!" Cora, Zane and Atom heard Scooter shout. The two young fellows looked up first before the elder. They all grinned and shared the wave.

"Yo, Scooter!"

"What you been up to, hey?" Scooter asked.

One lifted up a bottle of beer in response, causing them all to burst into laughter.

"Come join us!" they requested. Scooter slowed down more, almost to a stop. He shook his head and pointed to the back. The men all looked to the trio, eyes narrowing.

"Mate, you gotta couple of hitch hikers!" the brown haired laughed.

"Nope, just couple of friends!"

"Gahh, even worse!" they all shared a laugh once more. Cora leapt up to lean over the railings of the back to watch the conversation, smiling next to Atom.

"Well, gotta go mates!"

"Alright, mate!"

"Get outta here!"

"Hahaha!"

As Scooter accelerated back to normal speed, the three waved to Cora, Zane and Atom. They obviously didn't notice Atom to be any different, just laughing at his lack of clothing.

"DIGGIN' YOUR STYLE, MATE!"

"SURE THEY AIN'T HITCH HIKERS?!"

They drove away from the echoing laughter.

As the day started to get cooler, Scooter turned off onto a snaking path, entering through light forest grounds. The junk seemed to disappear before their eyes, as all they saw now was pine trees, grown and sprouting, bushes, prickly and kind, and all types of green and yellow grasses. It was a peaceful scenery moment, and everyone seemed to be feeling the vibe, relaxing and slinking down in their seats, Atom slightly slouching on the railing.

"Ahhhh," Zane sighed, throwing his hands behind his head. "I could get used to this..."

"Yeah well, don't," Cora murmured, "When we get to the fork in the road we have to WALK." Zane groaned, not moving.

Atom smiled and rested his chin on his hand, looking to the rushing dirt road beneath him. He knew his memory meant he couldn't remember who he was and what he did before, but he noticed that this forest and vegetation was an entirely new experience. He felt as if it wasn't just run-down memories that left him curious. He just knew that he had never seen anything like it_. Like I've never been outside, almost_, he thought. _What kind of person doesn't let anyone outside?_

After a while of watching him, Cora picked out the distinct features of the robot. She knew he was thinking deeply. "Whatcha thinking about?" the robot jolted, turning around to her.

"W-what? Oh...um, nothing..." Cora knew he was lying, but decided to let it drop.

"You starting to get your memory back yet?" Zane asked. Atom shook his head.

"Nope." Cora glanced to Zane, before picking up his pose and folding her arms behind her head as a pillow.

"Huh, too bad..." Cora looked to the worn out wooden boards that made the ground they were upon, tapping her foot in thought.

"You know, Nancy told us who your creator might be." Zane said. Atom instantly became interested, sitting on the vacant bale and folding his legs tightly.

"Really?"

"Yeah." Cora joined. Atom leaned forward with a curious smile, looking even more engrossed then when gazing at the clouds.

"Well, first off you're a Metro City robot." Zane started.

"Mmmhm. I know."

"Shhh, listen..." Cora said in that rare soothing tone Atom's come to favor.

"Well," Zane said, flipping his leg over the other casually, "She thinks it's out of TWO people. And they are...Drum roll please..."

"Get on with it, glory hound."

"Fine! Geeze..." Zane cleared his throat as Cora and Atom shared a tired glance. "It was out of Dr. Oshay." They both nodded. "Or-"

"Dr. Tenma." Cora finished, smirking at Zane.

Atom's eyes grew wide.

His head snapped up straight.

"HEY!" Zane argued, shoving his hands across his chest.

"What?" Cora laughed. "You were being Mr Suspenseful! Why couldn't I be Miss Interrupt?" She reached over and nipped his ear with her nail.

"Oww!"

"Oh, that wasn't hard..."

"YES IT WAS!"

"Cry baby."

"I'll pinch you..." Cora gave him a look of disbelief.

"You don't know how to do a good pinch."

"I'll get Atom to pinch you!" Zane threatened.

"He wouldn't!"

"ATOM!"

They both looked to Atom before giving each other a battle glare.

Two glowing blue spheres looked back. Flashing on, and off, on and off...

Zane gasped while Cora's eyes just widened. Her throat rejected the suggestion to speak, becoming drier with every breath. She frowned and raised a finger to the frighteningly familiar electric blue.

"Would that...?" Zane already had sprung to his feet, ignoring the unstable ground as he got thrown to the side of the truck, weak wood groaning against his tough body.

"It's happened again!" he screeched, in a mixture of tones Cora couldn't nail on. She kept on frowning in confusion as Zane kneeled down in front of the robot, not making any sound, just staring, as if it was focused on what was going on inside him rather than the surrounding world.

He waved his hand in its face.

"Hellooooo?"

No reaction.

"Yo!"

**SNAP! SNAP!**

Still nothing. Zane sighed and sat next to Atom, glancing over to Cora. "You gonna help?" he asked, annoyed. Cora slowly nodded, blinking and getting to her feet.

"WHOA!" as the truck hit a bump in the rocky road, she got thrown forward, landing half on the hay

bale, feeling the annoying prick of sweet straw. Stumbling on her legs and words, she looked up to

Atom, trying to gather the information about what was happening. Zane was right. The robot was

back to its idle state, not moving, not speaking and not thinking.

Pushing a clump of black hair behind her ear, Cora kneeled on the ground, resting her torso on the

bale. She sighed angrily and glanced to Zane.

"Well, now what?" she asked hastily.

"How am I supposed to know?" Zane almost shouted. Cora was thrown back by the unusual snappy

behavior. Zane nudged the robot's shoulder. "I'm getting sick of this thing! All it can do, is get us in

trouble, be bloody _annoying_ and freeze for no reason what so ever!"

Cora gritted her teeth and glanced up to Atom's faceless expression. She exhaled through her nose.

"What about your plan?" she asked, looking to Zane. "_Our_ plan. We, we just have to live with Atom

for a few more days, then we'll be off to Metro City with Sludge and Widget before you know it!"

"I dunno, Cora. I'm just about ready to chuck him off this truck." Cora stood her ground, trying not to

look foolish by tripping or falling.

"You're not getting rid of him! I get a say in this too!" Zane scowled.

"_Your_ say is pretty much all that matters, isn't it?" Cora was stunned.

"What is that supposed to mean?!" the raging teen stood, much more steadied than her.

"_You_ chose to keep the robot. _You_ were the one that made us fall!"

"That was Atom that made us fall!"

"If _you_ weren't so stupid and went crazy at it, then we might be at the CIRCUS RIGHT NOW!" Cora felt

a boiling rage in the pit of her stomach. It was unusual that they fought. She couldn't see the

problem- Zane had always been the laid back one, and Cora was the take-charge one. That's why they

got along so well. It was like Ying and Yang. Cora and Zane.

She covered her face with her hands. He was telling the truth. She had lost it. _But,_ _come on...who_

_wouldn't?_

"Look, I'm sorry about that, but it _was_ Atom's fault. I mean, he was being a pain in the ass!"

"EXACTLY!" Zane said, pointing to the robot. "Can we please just get rid of it?" Cora sighed. He was as

reluctant as a child going to the dentist. Not like they had many, on the Surface, but not one person in

the circus was very keen to try it.

"No, Zane!"

"Why not?!"

"We need him!"

"Why?" the teen snapped. He looked to Atom, as if wanting his words to be heard by the deaf

machine. "I DON'T WANT YOU ANYMORE!"

"_D-Dad_?"

The two reeled back. They couldn't tell if they both just imagined what they just heard. _Am I going insane?_ They both thought. Both going insane at the same time was at the top most un-likeliness. But what happened next wasn't exactly what would first come to one's mind...

Cora's brows creased, confusion etched all over her face.

"Did you just hear tha-"

"_Dad?_"

They both jumped as Atom spoke. Or was it someone else? Well, Atom's lips defiantly _moved_, but the voice coming out didn't sound like him. The boy's voice sounded more rusty, natural. More _human_, if you wish. Not Atom's clear, perfect tone.

They both just stared at the robot. One thing had changed. His eyebrows were now pulled down, in a look of pleading. Cora breathed more heavily. Suddenly it felt as if the air had become ten times more humid than it already was.

"What just happened?" Zane looked at her. His face said one thing:

'_What the hell?_'

And she couldn't agree less.

Suddenly Atom jolted his arms to his side, sending the two to jump in their skins.

"Whoa! What's happening?" Zane asked, fear playing on his voice. Atom started to get to his feet, fractionally, as if a slow playing movie with each frame. His eyes kept on flashing, the time between each light up becoming slower. Cora and Zane got to their own feet, pressing their backs against the railing as Atom staggered forward, reaching his arms out.

"_D-Dad_?" he repeated the name that shouldn't be known to him. He said it with such mercy in his voice. He sounded like he only wanted one thing- forgiveness. But... forgiveness from _what?_

"Okay, Cora? What's going on?" Zane asked quietly. They both watched as Atom etched forward, grasping his arms out, heading for nothing in particular.

"P-program glitch?" Cora stammered.

"Oh yeah, 'cause every robot gets glitches and starts calling for Daddy," Zane mumbled. Cora scowled.

"No time for a fight now, Mr Emotional."

They both looked back to Atom...heading right for the end of the truck, taking slow, steady steps. Their eyes widened.

"Oh god…"

"Oh damn…"

Springing into action and alarm, they both raced over to the out of control robot, only a few more framed steps to the drop off. Cora gripped her hands around Atom's shoulder and tried to haul him back, groaning from the effort.

" Y-you gonna help or not?" she bit out. Zane quickly took Atom's other shoulder, and together they pulled back, Cora beginning to reach out for the rusty rails for support. Atom seemed to struggle forward more, grunting as his boot slipped a little.

"_D-Dad? Why?_"

"Yeah Atom, why? Get your butt back here or you'll be a piece of junk waiting to happen!" Cora screeched, digging her heels into the wood.

"Exactly!" Zane groaned, pulling more. "Come on mate! S-snap out of it!"

"It's all your fault, Zane!" Cora said. She rejected the idea of pulling Atom back- that wasn't doing anything. While the poor robot kept on slipping over his own legs, she decided to find a way to shut him down, or at least knock him out. It was better than him falling onto a forgotten road, probably never to be found again.

Cora felt a little prick in her heart at the thought. Zane scowled at her.

"Where are you going? And how is it MY FAULT?"

Cora felt to her waist bag, but...she was still wearing the cloths from Autumn. She kicked the hay bale.

"Just when I needed it!"

"What?"

"My spare screwdriver I stole from Nancy's collection!" Zane's neck gawked forward.

"Y-you _stole_ from her?!" Cora smiled slyly and put her hands on her hips.

"You surprised?" Zane's brows rose.

"Probably not in the way you think..." With a wink he pulled out another screwdriver from his breast pocket. He twirled it in front of her. Her eyes widened.

"You sneaky bugger!"

"_Dad! Wait!_"

Zane twisted around and aimed the tool above his head. With a groan he hauled it right in the middle of Atom's scalp. A deafening smash echoed through the wildlife, and Zane's hands wobbled violently from the back-shot.

The results should have been foreshadowed, but came as a surprise.

"_Dad..._"

Zane pulled up the screwdriver as Atom continued to stammer forward. The metal was now bended into a rounded shape, a bit of a spike forming on the end. Cora's face twisted. Zane frowned...then shrugged.

"Should have known." He said casually. Cora snatched the harassed tool up and jumped up near Atom, just one step away from disaster. Remembering what she had done to stop Aim with the Scavengers, she stabbed the tool into a moving piece of fire-red metal among the chunky boot. Atom let out a small cry, surprisingly sounding more in his normal robotic voice. The twisted iron caught around his other unsteady foot, causing the robot to sway, waving his arms everywhere. Zane leapt up and Cora reached forward, both pulling on its arms just as he started to fall. Atom remained silent, all limbs going limp, head rolling to one side. Cora and Zane glanced to each other.

"You...do you think that's it?" Zane asked, as if Cora would know the answer. She swallowed, adjusting her grip on the rubbery skin.

"I-I hope."

**THUNK!**

Just as the luck they had gained punched them in the face, the truck hit yet another ditch in the earth. And, knowing Scooter, the truck has increase speed while approaching. The magnitude knocked the breath out of the two helpless teens, as they all got thrown upwards, landing on their backs on the creaky wood of the platform. It wasn't exactly something they _weren't_ used to.

Atom flew up with them, his un-responsive body landing hard by the left bale of hay. Cora groaned, closing her eyes shut tight for a few seconds. Zane lay beside her, looking as if he'd gone to sleep there and then. With a tired grumble, Cora pulled herself up, glancing to Atom. She sighed, getting to her feet.

"Zane! We did it, we saved him!"

"Glorious..."

With a slight laugh, Cora ran over to Atom as Zane pulled himself onto his hay bale, sitting down and watching his friend aid the robot. She flicked some dirt off his cheek, and hauled him on the bale. It's eyes slowly closed in doing so, the relaxed expression painted back on its face, how it should be. With a pull back of her hair, Cora stretched her arm across her chest and glanced to Zane. Her joyful face dropped.

"We're KEEPING HIM..."

It was as if he had tried to take a child's favorite toy.

He smiled and shoved his hands behind his head. He still wasn't overly keen, but money was money- and Atom was worth a lot of it. They couldn't just throw him away, at least not for their sake.

"Sure, sure..."

Cora scratched her head.

"So, what the hell just happened-"

"AH!" Zane shot his finger up. "Give it a rest, Cora. I'm exhausted, you're exhausted. Let's just forget about the robot for two seconds and enjoy the ride." He snickered. "The way Scooter drives makes me feel like I'm on the train at the circus!" Cora gave a small smile.

"Yeah, I guess..." she sat on her bale, staring to the road ahead of them. How many time she had to stop herself from glancing over to Atom, not even he could count.

* * *

><p>Over all, the ride took about five hours. <em>Five hours<em> of boredom. Cora and Zane gave up talking just over half way, as the truck rambled into more clearer grounds, passing grassy paddock by grassy paddock. Occasionally they passed an old farm house, once a small shaggy dog racing after. The owner (a young woman) soon called him back, giving a wave to them. Seeing the un-conscious Atom made her second guess her nice greeting, her face dropping as they traveled around the corner. Cora had sighed, looking to Atom.

"When do you think he'll wake up?" she asked her companion.

But Zane was fast asleep.

The sky was getting darker when Atom finally stirred. Cora had tried napping at the time, when her body jerked up at the groaning sound expressing from tired lips. Her shock swirled into relief as she ducked over to the robot's side. Atom arched his back and slowly opened his eyelids, wiping the dreamy state off his face. The icy blue eyes of Cora met his gaze.

"Cora? Are we there yet?" he asked, as if nothing had ever happened. Cora smiled slightly and patted him on the shoulder. He didn't remember a thing.

With a tilt of his spiked head, Atom frowned.

"S-since when did the sky get so dark?" he looked to the obvious face of the human. He frowned, becoming concerned. "What happened?"

"Oh, nothing. You know, just the usual saving your butt and all..." Cora replied smartly, rubbing her nails on her chest. She felt the buzz in her head, warning her.

_'YOU'RE the boss of him! You're being way too friendly!'_

No, not warning her. _Annoying_ her.

She soon pushed them away, sitting on his haystack. Atom smirked. "If I remember correctly, I am the one who saves _your_ butt!" Atom caught his tongue the moment he said it, hoping he hadn't violated a 'mannered robot' rule and ticked Cora off. But to his surprise, Cora smiled.

"You froze again, that's what happened." His ears flinched back.

"Again?" he face palmed with a groan. "I keep on forgetting!" Cora edged closer.

"We said another name. Zane thinks it's something to do with the amount of time between pauses, but I'm _certain_ it's to do with what we say. I mean, it can't just be a coincidence." Atom tapped on his knees.

"W-what name did you say this time?" Cora rested her arms behind her head.

"Well, last time it was Tobi, right?" Atom seemed to cringe at the name. But slowly, he nodded.

"This time it was Dr. Tenma." Atom's chin raised a bit. "He's apparently the most brilliant mind in all of Metro City, and practically invented robots. So it would make sense if he was your creator."

"D-...D-Dad..." Cora leaned forward, curious. _He still remembers him as Dad? I know he LOOKS like a kid, but..._she frowned for a bit, but pushed the surreal idea aside.

"That's what you were saying when you froze. You were, like, trying to run to something. You looked really desperate." Atom let out a groan and cradled his head. Cora frowned and leaned all that closer. "Yeah...kinda like that..."

"I-I...I just can't remember! I'm really trying! I just can't! I don't know what this all means!"

"Hey, neither do we!" Cora exclaimed truly. It was all a giant muddle to all of them. She had already deeply thought about it while Atom was knocked out, and she had come to ONE idea that wasn't crazy.

_The first freeze Atom didn't do anything, but when the time came he had saved them. Perhaps he'd done the sort of thing before? And now this scene, where he seemed to be...re-playing. Re-playing something from his past. _

Cora put the two events together and found the obvious. "I think you're slowly getting your memory back, so it can't be that bad. From your performance, I'm not very sure you would _want_ to remember, but yeah, not all bad."

The robot pivoted his head, the sky ablaze with dusk colors reflecting off his glass eyes. "What do you mean?"

"As I said- you looked really desperate." She placed a hand on his back, surprisingly feeling the small shudder from the contact. She took a breath. "I'm really sorry Atom, but I think your creator was a bad man. I...I don't think he wanted you..." She wasn't sad about this fact, just troubled.

_If Atom's creator doesn't want him, then who the hell do we sell him back too_? She wasn't keen on letting any drunk collector pick him up. I mean, who knows what they would do with him. _Servant? Guard? Knowing what he was capable of, he could even be sent to the military._..

Atom looked even more devastated then before. His mind whirled. _I don't even get to meet my creator, and I already find out he doesn't want me..._

He stared down at his legs, clenching his hands. The late afternoon breezes ruffled Cora's hair as they were cast in silence like too many awkward times gapped the quiet by piecing more of the puzzle together."That's why you were on the Surface..." she more told herself then Atom. "You must have been..." she cleared her throat before quietly finishing. "...Dumped..."

He didn't really need her to finish, which pinned his heart (if he had anything like that) down even more.

A moment passed of troubled breathing.

"Cora?"

"Hm?"

"...Where do I belong?"

Cora was caught off guard. She looked over to him. Not to a metal, artificial face. Not to glazed over brown eyes. But to a human. Almost...herself.

_Belong..._

She tried not to give away the small prickling of hot, salty tears on her lashes. With a small pat on his back, she walked over to her own seat, leaving Atom hanging for an answer. It seemed only the few birds were heard for the moment, their calls getting sucked in by the loud choking engine. Cora left it for what felt like hours until she replied, not really thinking about her answer.

"I guess one day we'll find out together."

Atom frowned. He noticed her voice was a new tone as he analyzed the voice chords in his head- something he found he couldn't control. She sounded...longing. As he was. But he still couldn't find out why.

_We'll find out together? What was that supposed to mean? _

Cora more than visually showed off her certainness for various occasions. She knew who she was, where she stood...didn't she?

Still, her words touched him slightly. Together. A robot, and Cora? A team? Maybe she was just tired. Even so, Atom rested his head back with a smile dancing on his face.

The truck stopped as the sun was going down and as the thunder started rumbling. It felt strange to feel steady earth beneath Cora's feet, as she hopped eagerly off the back of the truck, closely followed by Atom, who almost slipped on his boot. With a strange look, he pulled out a wrecked screwdriver from his heel. He thought it best not to ask.

After a few flicks on the nose and an aggressive shove, Zane finally awoke. With a groan he stepped shakily off the vehicle. The vibrating from the ride hadn't completely worn off.

Cora stepped across the rocky trail they had ridden on for the past five and a half hours. She couldn't imagine what they'd done if they hadn't got given a lift. The whole thing on foot may have taken a day- maybe more. Perhaps they would've begged for a ride back at that other town near Autumn. The people seemed friendly there, but Cora just wondered if they had the education to even step off their porch.

Scooter was right- they had arrived at a large fork in the road. She was standing right in the pin point where it parted. Down to the left was more paddocks, the long grassy fields wrapping around the many hills. It seemed peaceful down that road. But, unfortunately, their route meant they had to go to the RIGHT- where dense forest smothered the view.

Scooter, all dusty and tired, trampled out of the front and smiled at them all, giving a slight warning that there should be storms later in the night. Rather than the 'thank you, good bye' that he deserved, Cora decided to part _her_ way...

_With a stern face Cora grabbed Scooter by the collar and leaned in close to his face._

"_I want MY CLOTHS BACK_."

Zane surprisingly seemed concerned for Atom, asking immediately if he was alright while Cora got dressed into her old cloths in the passenger seat (along with a very aggressive threat to all who would dare to try a peek). While Zane convincingly said,

"_EWW! We're technically SIBLINGS, Cora. That's just WRONG_."

While turning to Scooter...

"..._Oh, come on! You're like, sixteen!_"

"_SEVENTEEN_."

***Suspicious glare***...

Either way, it was all too soon before the goodbyes were done, and Scooter had to drive all the way back.

_"I'm really sorry we dragged you all the way down here," Cora mumbled, biting her lip. Scooter laughed merrily and gave the truck a pat on the dust covered bonnet._

_"That's fine kids! It's good to be back in my Beauty again!" his grin grew even wider. "And I might be able to hang out with the old boys on the way back!"_

They all knew he meant Scraps, Hicker and the old man by the rusty houses, and exchanged smiles. Cora found herself envying Scooter for a brief second. His life seemed so perfect. He knew who he was, who his friends were, his family were loving and he got to do whatever he pleased. I mean, not _once_ had Zane or her gone to a pub, or club with her friends. There was always work to do.

Still, she managed a smile and a small hug. Zane and him shared a manly fist-to-fist shake, while Atom remained silent the whole time. Only when Scooter was turning back to the truck did he barely realize he was even there. With a smile he leaned forward and tugged on his horn for hair.

"See you around, mate!" he laughed. Atom just silently covered his hair after, some-what becoming self-conscious about it. Scooter then leaned in close.

"Just _not_ around Autumn..." he warned with a stern face. The grin appeared again as the robot nodded, and the young adult hopped back into his worn out, pale blue leather seat. The engine started up once again loyally, and the trio watched as the dust clouds took chase and the pickup truck disappear down the road.

"Well," Cora said, stretching her long sleeved t-shirt into shape. Her cloths were defiantly not taken care of in the most top manner, feeling the crinkly fabric against her skin. She looked to the sky. It was getting a bright amber shine to it as the sun settled, hiding half behind the large forest trees. "We better get going."

"Couldn't agree less." Zane said, stretching his arms across his chest. "It's getting' dark, so I suggest we should prepare for sleeping outside."

"I dunno. Maybe we'll run into a house."

"Over there." Came the voice of Atom. The two looked around to see him standing, pointing over to a large shrub, twisted and green. Cora raised an eyebrow to Zane, who shrugged. She sighed and stepped up next to him, hands behind back.

"What?"

As if waiting for the invitation, Atom waltzed forward a few meters to the side of the road, meeting with the wrangled vines of the plant. He started to tear away at the vegetation, to reveal shining red. Zane and Cora frowned, making their way over. Soon, Atom finished off, wiping his hands over the found treasure. Well, not really treasure. It was an old sign. Cora stumbled.

"How did..." a pale finger raised to his face. "How'd find that?"

Atom shrugged. "I could see a bit of the red between the leaves." He stopped for a moment. "You didn't...catch that?"

"Of course not, show-off," Zane huffed, looking over, "Now what does this thing say?"

**SCARLET LAKES**

**24 MILES**

"Scarlet Lakes!" Zane cheered. "That's where we're headed right?"

"Yep," Cora sighed, "Just a humble 24 miles away..."

They started to walk along the road absent-mindedly, the small pebbles and dirt crunching underneath sneakers, flats and boots. Just three teens, walking into the sunset, bound for home. Such a movie-moment...Cora smiled at the idea. The taste of adventure on her lips. _I mean, come on! If I'm gonna spend the next three days out here, I might as well make it interesting... _She was used to this feeling, remembering how she was for the first few months at the circus, going out to scavenge. The world looked so vast back then, standing on those mountains of junk. But it didn't come quite close to this, feeling like she was in an entire different world. And, in a way, that's exactly where she was.

Zane's eyes lit up.

"Maybe we could hitch-hike!"

"Zane... we're about to go through a forest."

"Maybe they're some people who live in the forest!"

"Okay, but you're the one finding them, Tarzan. The way I see it, I think we're just on foot for now."

The teen let out a cry, causing Cora and Atom to snicker. But still, the not-so-bright teen kept on popping out ideas.

"Well, maybe Atom could help?"

Atom frowned, but kept his mouth sealed.

"How so?" the disbelieving human laughed. "Not like he could fly us over to Scarlet Lakes."

"What if he could?"

"Oh please. He's not _that_ impressive."

All Atom could do was smirk.

As the evening grew on, the trio traveled down the road, cutting off at a small dirt path after many reminders from Cora to check the map. Once again, Zane and Cora talked among themselves, but Zane almost tried to include Atom in more, now and then calling back with an,

'Are you doing alright back there?'

Or maybe,

'Not far to go now.'

Most of the times he would use Atom to back up his opinion, which the robot would agree in with a shrug. To Zane, that counted as a 'yes'.

But Atom wasn't that troubled about being left out usually by the chit-chat, but was completely engaged with the wildlife around him. More than any of them could count had Cora had to trudge back and give the robot a playful push on the shoulder to keep him going when he was keeling down to examined an extremely fascinating bug or leaf. All they heard from him was,

'OO! Look at that!'

And many other complements to the forest. To them, he was pointing at a plant. To him, he was looking at a rare specimen with beautiful yellow-tinged green leaves. To Cora, he was examining a butterfly. To him, it was an extremely elegant treasure to the Surface.

It was annoying, but also an amusing way to spend the next hour. Soon they were walking through nothing but trees, young and old. The sun was almost gone now and the sky was gray with clouds. The path they were once on had all but disappeared and they only had lucky sense of direction to keep in a straight line, stepping into the moist fallen leaves.

Sadly, Scooter was right. It wasn't long before a light shower started. Then it got heavier. And heavier. Soon, it was a proper thunder storm, with dark clouds whirling with thunder and a wave of rain crashing down on their heads.

Zane grumbled, pulling his beloved leather jacket over his head. Cora had a harder time finding her source of shelter, as her small pale hoodie was of thin fabric. She resolved this by scampering over next to Zane and huddling under his jacket instead. He hadn't found the point in complaining. Atom however wasn't troubled by the rain, tilting his head to the clouds as if trying to find out where the water came from. He would spin in circles laughing, or just reach out his hand and feel the heavy drops patter off his skin with a smile. The lightening, however...

The boy robot merrily sided on the mud, reaching out and touching the shiny leaves of a small tree. Cora glanced back to him and giggled.

"Happy robot- just add water..."

**FLASH!**

A huge lightning bolt lit up the sky. Atom jumped, almost clearing three meters. He raced up to the teens. "W-what was THAT?"

Cora blinked.

"That was lightening."

"Is it safe? Is something on fire?" the robot was frantic. Zane laughed.

"Don't worry!" he said, patting him on the shoulder. "It's just natural." He returned a shaky nod.

That's what started the weird behavior. Other than acting like he's never stepped out of a house before, Atom didn't seem to know what anything was. Could it be just his memory? The funny thing was, as much as Atom looked like he was a born adventurer, he defiantly didn't want to get his hands dirty...

Atom was leading ahead, closed eyes, long steps. With sodden bodies Cora and Zane stumbled after, hogging as much shelter as they could. Is wasn't long before they heard a cry.

**SPLOOSH!**

"AHH!"

As they looked ahead, they saw Atom, up to his waist in muddy water. Cora burst out laughing and Zane keeled over, holding his stomach from all the snickers. Atom had fallen into an extremely deep puddle...and wasn't very happy about it. With a screech he quickly leapt out of the brown pit, shaking the brown water off him.

"EWW! Yuck! Arrg!" the two teens continued to laugh as the disgusted robot raced behind, setting some distance from the gap in the earth. "I'm _contaminated_!" they heard him yell. Cora laughed some more, looking back to him.

"You can't even get contaminated!" she called. Atom wiped the mud from his leg.

"It's still gross!"

"Oh, quit complaining you cry baby!"

"Urgh! Ew!"

But, rain or shine, they all were going strong. It seemed nothing bad could come against what they had already gone through, with the fire and the Scavengers. Even without that, Zane and Cora's life had been harder than a bit of rain.

She smiled, whipping her hair from side to side to shake some sweet drops off, some splattering on Zane. He blinked a bit, then shook his mop of hair over her.

"Hey!" she whined. Zane smirked.

"You're the one who declared war!" With a glare, Cora looked up to the sky, or at least those small pieces of gray she could make out through the trees. The rain had calmed to just a drizzle, and the air was still and started to gain its humid weather once again. She walked out from the canopy of the jacket, stepping with sodden footsteps on the leaves and mud. With a sigh she looked back to Atom, his head tilted back slightly with his eyes closed.

"You doing' alright back there?" she called. Shaken from his deep state, the robot looked up to the pair of blue eyes.

"Yes." He answered. Zane stretched his arm back with a small yawn. Suddenly, with the last few drops, the rain stopped.

"I'm _starving_..." he groaned. "What time is it?"

"Probably around late evening..." Atom answered. Cora waved her hand to him and he obeyed, running up to join.

"Okay Mr advanced, could you help us see which way we're going?"

Zane pulled out the map, carefully kept dry from the safety of his jean pocket. Un-folding it, they all gathered around to examine where they would go next. "Well," Zane pointed to the blue line, high-lighting the path, "It seems that we just keep heading north-east."

"Yeah, but..._are_ we heading north-east? What direction are we going right now?" Atom took a glance around, looking to where the sun was setting behind the clouds and then to where the moon was rising. Automatically, he lifted his arm to point to the left of them.

"There." He responded simply. Cora stepped over to him, looking down to his hand, then up to his very focused face. She glanced to the direction.

"Are you sure?"

"Absolutely."

"Awesome!" Zane cheered in triumph, already jogging ahead. Cora shook her head with a smile, walking with him through more trees. Atom followed after, his boots giving a continuous 'THUNK' with each step, letting the two know that he was always close behind.

It was a little while before the sun went completely and all that was there to guide them was the pale moonlight, caressing over the trees, causing the shadows to dance and leap in front of the trio's eyes. It was quite magical, with the stirring of the leaves whistling like a song, along with the crickets as the backing music, and just the pure beauty of the night wrapping around the forest.

Cora sighed deeply, taking longer steps, taking more time. She had never been through this kind of nature before, being cooped into the life of a circus woman. No, she only got her fair share of sites like this when she sneaked onto the circus train roof when traveling. Only then did the pure brilliantness of the milky way and the moonbeams fully reach out to her.

Zane was more of scanning the ground, probably analyzing where would be a good place to sleep. She cringed. Sleeping outside would be cold- and dangerous. Insects, wild animals and disease comes as an easy threat in this era.

"Should we stop to rest soon?" Zane asked after a while. Atom walked along side Cora, giving a small concerned glance to her as she rubbed her shoulders from the cold. She nodded shakily.

"P-probably..." She flinched when she felt a hand lightly touch her back. "You gotta problem?" she snapped to Atom, who looked up to her, caught off guard. He scratched the back of his neck, for no real reason Cora could summon.

"Sorry, it's just...you're cold." Atom said quietly.

"Well, yeah! It's winter! I wouldn't be surprised if frost is starting to creep its way to us," Zane said, wrapping his moist jacket over his shoulders more.

"Your clothes are still wet." The robot stated the obvious.

"Hmm, we should dry them..." Cora mumbled. Zane's head jolted at this.

"Eh?"

"Not all the cloths at the same time, dufus!" Cora laughed, shoving him to the side. Atom smiled, walking a bit ahead.

"It's getting too dark to see with the clouds passing by the moon. I'll light the way," he declared. Cora smiled, leaning over to him.

"Keep the eye lights ON this time..." she whispered cheekily. Atom froze for a second, then awkwardly scratched the back of his neck again. Cora laughed and walked along Zane again, resting her head on his shoulder, closing her eyes like a walking zombie.

"You lead the way..." she said with a yawn. "I'm gonna crash here..." Zane knocked her face away.

"Cut it out, Cora!" he scolded. "We'll _all_ stop when we absolutely have to."

"All of us?" Atom asked from in front. Zane thought for a second.

"Okay, Atom could walk for weeks, but that's beside the point!" They laughed.

"Hey, you gonna get your eye lights on or what?" Cora asked, poking Atom in the back. The boy robot took slower steps, his eyes creased.

"I'm...trying!" he urged.

"A robot who doesn't know how to work himself!" Zane snickered, shaking his head and walking past him. "I thought I'd never live to see the day..." Cora approached Atom with a calm face, looking him deep in the eye.

"What did you do to get them working last time?"

"I focused. I focused hard."

"Okay then..." Cora said, planting her feet into the moist soil, causing Atom to stop with her. She lifted his chin, making sure their eyes were locked. Atom frowned.

"What are you doing?" Zane came to a halt, putting hands on hips, looking at the two.

"Stare." Cora ordered. Atom's ears flinched back.

"Huh?"

"Concentrate, and stare into my eyes..."

"Cora, how on earth is that supposed to-"

"SHH!" Cora hissed to Zane. He sighed and chucked his bag down near a tree root, sitting down next to it. While Cora steadied herself again, he got to work in drying some of his cloths, taking off his shoe and tipping it, watching the muddy water spill onto the ground.

Atom looked to the icy orbs of blue. They had a sort of sharp tinge to them, which made them more alluring. He stared and concentrated, like she had asked, thinking only about his eyes. Deeper and deeper, he soon could just see his own eyes out of the reflection of the dark pupils, like a never ending pit of black. Soon, he could see a small ring of blue high-light around the rim of his iris. Dull at first, but then without any warning beams of blue light shot out, spilling over Cora's head.

She let out a small yelp, pushing away from him and covering her face. "My eyes!" she half laughed. Atom rubbed his head, darting his eyes around and adjusting them to a comfortable ray of light. Zane looked up from squeezing his sock, eyebrows raised.

"Whoa...huh, it did work..."

"You did it!" Cora cried, patting Atom on the shoulder while wiping her watering eye. The robot grinned and nodded, looking up to the canopy of the trees, illuminating the leaves with the brilliant blue. "Just work on starting them up, because man that is bright!" she walked over to Zane, still rubbing her face. "I think I'm going blind..." she mumbled. With a laugh Zane shoved his shoe back on, grabbing the bag strap while standing.

"Epicenes, dude!" he praised, smiling to the robot. Like a gentleman escorting a VIP, he swayed his arm ahead of him. "Lead the way!"

So, for the next few minutes the two teens followed behind Atom, his eye lights scanning everything in his path. Sometimes he would keep his gaze on one particular plant or flower that was once hidden by the night, but Cora was sure to keep him going with a little help from her palm against his head. The night became peaceful again...until about half an hour later, something amazing happened.

"What are those?" the teens heard the robot ask out of the blue. Cora shared a glance to Zane, who gave her a frown of confusion.

"Probably just another plant or something..." she mumbled to Zane, stepping up to walk next to Atom. But instead of his eyes being focused on something on the ground below him, the boy's eyes were focused dead straight to the left of him, shooting passed the large trees. Cora looked to Atom, making sure he was certain of where he was staring, but there was no denying it. She looked back to the direction. Nothing. She wasn't surprised, for Atom could probably see something miles before it was visible to her, concluding the sign spotting before. But there was no second guessing what Cora saw next.

A light. A small, glowing yellow light.

She felt her heart thump up her throat, her breath getting cut off. Atom's brow creased in more confusion. _Who would be out here_? She thought anxiously_. Have we accidentally run into private property? I didn't see any more signs...had Atom seen another one? Considering what happened on the Ridge, we can't exactly fully trust him yet..._ the girl was frantic. She didn't them to run into any trouble again. By the looks of the light, it was a fair bit away, as it was small. _A car? Motorbike?_ She couldn't hear an engine, which was strange.

Cora jolted a bit to feel Zane nudge her on the back.

"What is that?" he whispered, a little annoyed. Cora frowned, looking to Atom for a second. He was still planted on the spot, completely focused on the coming light. The nudge became a pull.

"We should go..." Zane insisted. Cora looked to him, unsure of what to do. Zane scowled at her. "Cora, let's go. NOW." With a nod, she rushed by Atom, running over to where Zane had dropped his bag. She chucked it to him, who quickly began walking down through more trees. Cora followed, brushing by Atom who didn't move. With a fast breath she grabbed hold of his shoulder in a failed attempt to turn him to face her.

"Atom, come on."

Nothing.

"ATOM," she addressed, more fiercely. With a growl she flicked him on the ear in a last response. It was Atom's turn to be annoyed. He flinched away.

"No, just wait a minute..."

"_No_?" Cora snapped.

...Robots, did not say NO, to a human. Especially in the circus. Cora was afraid that if Atom was ever so freely making decisions when they got back, that he wouldn't make it through the first week. Hamegg hated disrespectful robots, ones that broke from their purposes. He says that their means of being on earth is to serve the ones who gave them that privilege. Just...Atom was too human. It made her nerves rattle. She had to prepare him on how to act.

Zane stopped and turned, leaning against a tree with a growl. Cora aggressively grabbed the robot's shoulders, pulling him to face her.

"YOU, are not the boss of ME!" she shouted, snapping a finger out to his face. Atom couldn't have looked less interested in her demands, glancing back to where he was staring at before. "ATOM!" Cora screamed.

"Just a minute, I think there's-"

"No! NOT just a minute!" she teen argued, grabbing his shoulders again. "Look at me when I'm talking to you!" Atom faced her, but his eyes stayed glued to the scene. Surprisingly, a look of utter confusion spread on his face. Cora was too angry to notice. "Look, if you go acting like this at the circus, you'll have Hamegg to deal with, not me! And it _won't_ be a lecture!"

"Cora, what is-?"

"BE QUIET!"

"But-"

"ATOM!"

Without warning, the robot finally used his last resource. With a swift move of his hands, he locked his fingers around Cora's arms, scowling at her. The girl was shocked.

"How _dare_ _you_-!"

She never got the words out as Atom shoved her body around to face the forest.

Cora's breath was caught. Her yelling was cut off immediately. There was something floating in front of her. She found herself crossing her eyes to see it properly, but it looked something close to a floating speck of gold dust. _Glowing_ gold dust.

Her eyes widened as the tiny insect hovered peacefully inches away from her nose. Not a light, not a car, no people. Just another piece of nature.

Atom took a few steps back, oblivious to what the tiny thing was. Cora did the same, her hard features melting into a smile. The robot took more and more steps towards Zane as Cora twirled around, the glowing speck floating past her. Zane straightened up from slouching, his eyes widening. Suddenly, the shimmering undergrowth began to have a slight pale glow. Cora took a step forward, while Atom almost tripped scampering over to Zane, his face twisted with fear and some source of confused disgust.

Hundreds, maybe thousands of fireflies swarmed out peacefully from the forest. Up they drifted, like a golden wave, spinning and dancing among the rays of the moon. Cora breathed more quickly, reaching her arms out above her head with a laugh. As they circled around, enveloping her into a glittering ring, Zane leapt up next to her, many fireflies zooming away at his touch. Atom grabbed the tree bark defensively, arching away with wide eyes.

Cora laughed again and spun in a circle, looking over to Zane. He let his bag he once was holding slip from his grasp and thud onto the ground as he stood there, head tilted up to the array of dancing lights.

"This is...amazing," he said, completely dumbfounded. Cora closed her eyes, taking in a deep breath.

"W-what are those things?" Atom gasped out, causing the teens to look to him with a blink. While Zane still stared, Cora smiled and walked up to him, the insects spreading out more to dot the sky. With a reach for his hand, she smiled and whispered,

"Fireflies."

Atom flinched, not taking her hand.

"_Fire_ flies?" he said with a quiver. Cora dropped her arm and laughed. Zane snickered and stepped more into the caress of the swarm. Flicking the glowing dust away, Cora leaned against the tree for a moment, giggling like a freak.

"Not real fire!" she gasped out. Atom frowned at her as she stood straight, reaching out to him again. "They're a type of insect that glows, like that butterfly you saw, accept they're smaller." She explained. The robot boy took a small glance to the floating lights above his head, then slowly reached out and locked grasp with her. She grinned.

"_Please_ do as I tell you?"

Atom looked at her with a sheepish face. "If that's what I'm meant to do." He said with a nod. Cora frowned and she stepped over to Zane, Atom moving with her with slight hesitation as the insects slightly bounced off his shoulders.

"What's that supposed to mean?" she asked, taking slower steps as they pushed through the clouds of gold. Atom slightly ducked his head.

"Robots are meant to do that, right? That's all they're meant for."

"Yeah, but-"

Suddenly they both heard gagging from Zane. They looked to see him keeling over, punching his chest.

"I think I just swallowed one!" he said, spluttering. Cora laughed, running up to him and giving him a hard pat on the back.

"Careful Zane. Not _everything's_ edible." Another loud cough rang through the night.

"Challenge accepted."

With a small smile, Atom reached out slowly to the fireflies, as he has done with the rain before. The tiny insects bounced off the skin and then continued flying and buzzing around, some low to the ground and some high above their heads. Cora smiled at Zane and approached him, slipping a hand into his. He looked at her with a smile, but frowned as she grabbed his other one and took long strides, taking him along for the ride.

"What are you doing?" he asked finally. The girl sighed dreamily.

"Ballroom dancing," she said simply. Zane snickered, reaching his arm out to let her twirl under it.

"Why?"

"Spark of the moment." She glided back into his arms, spinning past more fireflies. Atom watched them both in interest, his eyes following their feet. As they both took three more strides, Zane nudged his head over to the robot.

"Maybe you should show him?" Cora gave him a strange look.

"What? Why?"

"Oh come on," he convinced, feet stopping. "Teaching an amnesic robot to ballroom dance? You got to have that somewhere on your Bucket List!" Cora took a step back.

"Do _you_?" she asked with concern. Zane froze up.

"No...of course not...that would be _weird_..."

With a laugh she confronted Atom. He looked up to her slowly. She took one hand in his, as much as he flinched away.

"What are you doing?" he watched as she took his other hand. She sighed.

"I guess I'm going to teach you to dance."

Atom blinked, but was pulled into a long step. Cora smiled, stepping to the right. "Okay, now just follow my feet," she ordered. Atom waited a while, but then took his right boot to lay opposite hers.

"Good. Now try and keep up."

For a while Cora would step in wide circles, Atom clumsily following her foot by heavy foot. After a while she stopped. "No," she said, "Not exactly like that." Atom let off an annoyed sigh, but Cora knew it wasn't to her, but more the annoyance was cast on him for not getting it right. "You're too...well, _robotic_ with your movements." Cora tried to explain, only setting Zane off into a long stream of laughs and snickers.

She snapped her head to him, shooting him a threatening look. With a sigh she looked back to the robot. "Just...okay, think of flying." Atom's eyes sparkled.

_Ah-ha! Now I'm on the right track..._

"Imagine that you're gliding over the clouds. Just feel the wind in your face, and be at peace." Atom took longer breaths, softly closing his eyes. Cora wasn't sure whether to ask if he was ready, or if she should just start again. The thing looked like it had just gone to sleep. Slowly, she took a step.

Zane felt his eyes widen. Cora felt her breath quicken. As she took more and more steps, it was like the robot suddenly knew every single complex twist and turn from the dancing art. Keeping his eyes still closed, they slowly and softly paced in small circles. Without warning Atom would slowly open his eyes for a slit second as he reached out for Cora to spin under his arm, which she did with a laugh of delight. A soft smile creased the robots face as the fireflies swarmed up the more they moved, darting around them. Soon Cora let go of Atom's hand, dizzily stumbling on Zane.

Atom still concentrated, thinking only of soaring, that beautiful feeling of flying through the thin air. He let his arms sway beside him as he quietly spun and stride, until something made his ears twitch.

**CLICK**.

That small sound made the three look around in alarm. Atom's mind raced, wondering where it came from as his eyes snapped open. But as he went to place his foot down, he ended up falling head over heels, as if nothing was there to support him.

"WHOOA!" With a yelp he flipped over, hitting an arching root. Cora and Zane looked at each other, then back to the fallen machine. Atom rubbed his head, looking to the ground, wondering what had just happened. His eyes laid upon something that filled him with dread.

His foot was wrapped in a rope.

**TWANG!**

In a few quick seconds the poor robot felt the air rush around him, and then , just like that, he was upside down.

Cora looked with wide eyes as the fireflies all darted away, hiding back into the forest. As if they had never come in the first place, they once again only had the moonlight to help them see. Atom was dangling upside down, his left foot strapped in some sort of rope attached onto a high branch of one of the pine trees, at least five meters up. She immediately sprang into action, running up to him.

"What the hell is that?" Zane asked, running to join. Atom strained his back to look up at the trap, squirming and grunting. Cora reached up to Atom's head, holding it still as she examined on what to do.

"Get me down!" he shouted.

"How?" she asked, walking around him to find a way to undo the rope.

"What is this thing?" Atom asked in anger.

"Looks like you got caught in a spring trap..." Zane said, scratching the back of his neck.

"Why would there be spring traps out here?" Cora asked, walking under the robot to Zane.

"I dunno, maybe to catch..."

"Robots?"

"In a forest? No way, that would be stupid thinking." Cora glanced up to Atom, simply hanging there, waiting for a decision to be made.

"Well," she replied, "It worked."

"ERIC! COME OVER HERE!"

Their bodies tensed as they heard the unfamiliar call, not from far away. Soon enough they saw the glow of flash lights darting across the ground and trees, and four shadows came into view. Cora edged closer to Zane, placing a hand on his shoulder. They all froze on the spot, eyeing the bodies.

"What do we have here?" asked a gruff voice with a slight hidden chuckle in it. With the flash light close enough to see, they finally got a good look at the strangers. The one who had just spoken was a man, probably around forty. His belly was round, covered up in large vests and a huge grey sweater. From the glow reflecting off his face, they could tell he had wispy brown hair with a tinge of white, along with a prickly chin that needed trimming. Right now his eyes were dark, and were pulled into slits.

A few of the other shadows could be made out more clearly- a small one with the suggestion of two long stringy plats, a hunched over one near the back and one that was approaching the man. As the person came into view, you could see a mop of brown hair over a pointy face, large almond eyes and a giant white baggy sweater. This woman looked around thirty, and had a cigarette in one hand. As they both got a good look at them, their faces dropped.

"Kids?" exclaimed the man. "KIDS?"

"I told ya! There was no tracks on the ground!" replied the woman with a bit of a slurred tongue, taking a chug of smoke.

"Did you find anything good? Huh-huh-huh? Diddya?" came an over-excited voice, and a small girl sprung into view. Her face was pale with a dirt smear across her cheek, and a round panda cap was pulled over her red stringy hair. Her eyes were wide, and she wore a shiny white vest over a strawberry top. She pounced in front of Zane and Cora, who reeled back. But, just like the others, her face dropped too.

"Aww, common!" she turned to the older ones, their flashlights lowering. "Some outcasts? Losers?" she whined.

"You guys are completely hopeless." While the hunched shadow still remained un-identified, they all could tell it was a teenage boy by the voice.

"I was so certain..." the man scratched is head.

"And that's meant something _when_?" the woman blew a whiff of chemicals in his face.

Cora and Zane just watched them all argue about whatever they were supposed to catch with wide eyes, wondering whether they should leave them alone or maybe ask for directions or a short cut. So far the running option was winning. Atom was busy straining again, looking up to his free leg. As he twisted it around to meet his vision, his throat got caught up in a gasp. The place where his boot should be wasn't there. Instead, a small rounded stub took its place.

_ACK! Where did my foot go? Was that the cause of the clicking sound? _Atom glanced around._ Did my boot fall off or something? _

"Um, excuse me?" Cora said in an attempt to grab the people's attention. The small girl gave them a hiss. Cora frowned at her, then looked to see if any others had heard her.

"Okay, next time I'M leading the way!" the woman declared.

"Lin? You're bloody half drunk!"

"And I betcha I could do a better job!"

The teen looked to Zane for help. He only shrugged. Cora sighed and tried once again.

"Uh, hello?"

"We should get moving," the woman snapped, adjusting her belt.

"Yeah!" agreed the child. "Momo is waiting for me!"

Atom huffed, once again just deciding to dangle there his him arms down by his side. If his foot was going to be fixed, them he better wait until he got down from the trap first.

To the teens dismay, they all nodded to each other and started to make their way down the muddy path between the trees without even a last glance to them all. Cora had just about had it. With a growl she stamped her foot on the ground, throwing her arms in the air.

"HEY! You gonna help get our robot down or what?"

As if time held a firm grasp on them all, they froze on the spot. With small glance between the man and woman, them and the girl slowly turned to face them. The man stumbled on his words.

"T-that's a _robot_?" he asked in disbelief. Cora huffed. _Huh, __**now**__ I got their attention._ Zane nodded quickly, while Atom gave them a small smile and wave of his hand. They stared for a bit, then the man cleared his throat.

"Where are our manners!" he exclaimed, trudging up to them with a cheap smile on his face. He walked up to the three, holding out his hand. "My name is Eric!"

Cora and Zane looked at each other with a raised eye brow, not buying the nice act. Eric noticed as they didn't take his hand. His face dropped a bit as he bit his lip, but his smile returned again as he looked up to the hanging Atom.

"Well, looks like you got yourself in a bit of a knot, hey buddy?" he said with a chuckle. As the girl and woman stepped up, Cora instinctively walked closer to the robot protectively, still questioning whether they would be trustworthy. The way they're so interested in them now that they know a high-tech robot around made the alarm bells in her head ring.

Eric looked to his alleys with a smile. "This," he addressed to the woman, "is Lin. And this other little one over here is Rascal." Rascal grinned, jumping over near Atom. Eric frowned to the hunched over teen. "And that anti-social shadow is Zag." He looked up and smiled. "Your names?" Eric asked. Zane gave him a look of dis-friendliness, and instead asked,

"What are you doing in a forest?" the man took a some-what offended step back.

"_A_ forest? This is not just _a_ forest!" Cora looked up to Atom, who gave her a look of confusion. Eric continued. "This forest so happens to be the most legendary woods in Surface history!"

"Well, I've never heard of it." Cora said surely, crossing her arms. Lin shook some burnt ash off her cigarette, giving a yawn.

"What makes these woods so special?" Zane asked. Eric face palmed.

"This is said to be the home of a great power!" he urged. When this was responded with blank looks, he gave a sigh. "I'll tell you later..."

"Who says we're staying here long?" Cora snapped. Rascal let off a snicker.

"You guys find your way through these trees on your own? Yeah right!"

"For your information, he have all the direction we need," she replied smugly, looking up to Atom.

"A tied up robot?" the annoying girl laughed. Cora shot her a look. Eric's eyes became enchanted again, walking up to Atom with his hand on chin.

"Yes, this robot," he murmured, circling. "Where did you get it?" Cora scowled, taking a step closer.

"We found _him_." Atom smiled, but gave a little jolt as he ended up face to face with the man.

"Found? As in, lucky find at the auction?"

"As in, dug up from the Wastelands." Cora said, hands on hips. Eric looked at her with a strange look. Rascal came up next to Eric.

"Dug up this thing? Where? How?" Atom winced away, not enjoying the attention.

"C-can I get down now?"

The three all reeled back, Zag even nudging his head over.

"It talks!" Lin said with a stumble on her feet. Zane's eyebrows furrowed.

"Well, yeah. Don't most?" Eric nodded, examining Atom who was starting to look a bit annoyed.

"Yeah but not like that! It's like..."

"Programmed to be human. Now leave him alone." Cora spat. Racal poked her tongue out. Atom let off a heavy sigh, scowling at the man.

"Say something else!" he ordered with excitement.

"How about this: stop treating me like a specimen under a microscope and cut this stupid rope from my leg!"

"Amazing!" Eric cheered. Atom looked even more annoyed. Cora stepped forward.

"Look, not that we don't exactly like people catching our robot in a spring trap, completely ignoring us and being downright rude, but if you excuse us-" Cora started to walk around the tree looking for the rope to cut it and Zane swung his bag over his shoulder when they were interrupted.

"No!" Eric stumbled forward, only to be met by cold eyes. "Look, I'm very sorry that you got that expression from meeting us for only that very shot amount of time, but we truly would love it if you came to camp with us." He finished with a swallow.

"We got food," Lin mumbled.

"And a place to sleep!" Rascal piped in, jumping quietly on the spot. Cora and Zane looked to each other with a raised eyebrow. _Why would they be so desperate about us staying with them? Is it because of Atom?_ Though her concerns, the night was a dangerous place. They were cold, hungry and had no real source of security. She would have to ignore her gut for now. With a sigh she looked to the dangling robot, then to Eric's hopeful face.

"Fine," she murmured. Zane blinked.

"What?"

"Common Zane, we'll go with them," she explained, walking over. Atom flinched at this.

"What if we can't trust them?" He asked. They all looked to him.

"We are trustworthy people, don't you worry!" Eric said, patting Cora on the shoulder. He looked to Racal. "Cut the robot loose!" he ordered.

"Atom," Zane told him, walking over to Cora.

"Cool name," he said carelessly. Rascal smiled as she pulled an axe out of Lin's shoulder bag, poising and aiming for the rope. Atom winced, pulling his arms in.

"This is going to hurt..." he more told himself. With a grunt the small girl swung the weapon, and with a 'THOCK' and a slice it cut through the rope and hacked into the pine's sturdy trunk. Atom squeezed his eyes shut as he felt the wind blow around him and he plummeted to a head first fall. But instead, he felt his left boot heat up. Hotter, hotter, hotter, until an explosion of fire burst out from it.

"WHOAAAA!"

Cora's hair was blown back as all she saw was a blink of white before her eyes adjusted and she only saw Atom, now smashed into a tree. Everyone looked at him, trying to register what had just happened. Atom winced, groaning and slowly moving his arms. He looked down to feet, scared that they might react again. But they were back to normal boots.

"What the hell was that?" Zag asked, and they heard footsteps as he made his way over. Zane shook his head, oblivious to the answer.

"I have...no idea." He mumbled. Cora scowled at them all, then ran up to Atom with a concerned face. He slowly looked to her before gravity took over and he went falling down to the ground. Cora caught his shoulder with a gasp, pulling him to his feet. The robot arched his back a little, rubbing his neck with a groan. Cora looked to his feet.

"Are you okay?" she asked with a frown.

"As much as I could be after that..." Atom murmured.

"What just happened?"

"I have NO idea." Surprisingly, Zag approached him hands in pockets.

"It might've been a reaction to a loose wire or something, causing the sparks to arise in an explosion strong enough to send him airborne," he said like it was an obvious observation, nudging Atom's boot. They both stared at him for a few seconds, before he rolled his eyes and made his way back to the shadows.

"Not that anyone cares..." he scowled, only to be stopped by Eric, catching him in a headlock and ruffling his hair.

"That's our Zag! Smart little mechanic, aren't you?" he grinned. Zag couldn't seem less amused, pushing him off with a growl.

"Lay off!" he snapped, making his way down the path on which he had arrived. Cora and Atom looked at each other, before the robot was approached by Eric.

"If it's just a little repair you need, then we have some tools at camp." He suggested. Cora looked to see what Atom would say, and was startled at the robot boy's expression of complete distrust. He slowly nodded.

"Yeah...great..." he replied carefully. The man still smiled, walking over the other people and Zane.

"Let's head off, shall we?" he asked. With a nod from everyone they all trudged along the mud, trying to catch up with Zag. Cora looked to Atom before setting off.

"Are you okay?" she whispered. He smiled and nodded meekly, regaining his balance the more we walked with the group. Eric was leading the way, talking excitedly.

"So glad you decided to come with us! We actually have a good meal cooking at camp, so we probably should hurry. Oh, there's just so much to tell you about the forest! It's the Hunter's dream to find this power-"

"Hunters?" Zane and Cora asked. Eric grinned, performing a bow.

"It appears you have just run into the great Hunters!" Cora smirked.

"You don't say. We're Scavengers." She told.

"Best ones around!" Zane perked up. Atom smiled. Eric nodded.

"Scavengers, hey?" Cora grinned.

"Yep. With a HELL of a find." Atom laughed quietly, moving off to the side of the group to look at the trees.

"I never thought we would catch a robot in this forest," Eric said, watching him.

"I did!" Rascal said, flinging her arm in the air.

"No you didn't," Lin said simply, taking a beer out of her bag and opening it with a hiss.

"Now common!" Eric said, walking with all of them down the path. "Before dinner gets cold..."

* * *

><p>As soon as the elevator doors slid open, the workers at Metro Security knew all hell would break loose. In an outburst of people, the wide red face of Mr Vendigo stomped in, his eyes twitching slightly.<p>

"What do you mean _LOST IT_?!" he shouted at the top of his lungs, causing the citizens at their computers to cease typing and snap their heads up. Vendigo was a very in control man, that liked to wear crisp blue suits and a scowl on his face. His eyes were small and beady, and he was the closest thing related to a bull in the history of humanity.

One of the very brave yet small workers, Dug Finnegan, scampered up with a blue screened pad in hand. Tapping on it madly, he took a moment to push his thin glasses up the bridge of his nose to cover his crystal blue eyes.

"Y-yes Sir, you see-"

"No, YOU see Mr Finnegan!" the man snapped. Dug winced under roar in his voice, but continued to explain.

"Mr Vendigo, I assure you that everything is under control! We have traces of where it might-"

"Under control?" Vendigo threw his arms in the air, leaving his strong body guards near the lift. "If everything was under control, Mr Finnegan, then firstly Tenma would be behind bars, this apartment block would've never been burnt down and this freaking robot would be in the incinerator RIGHT NOW!"

Dug gulped, but was saved by a more respected character in the building. Miss Helen Myers was the head of the Metro Security Incorporation, was a very stern yet likable woman and was famous for getting the work done. Yet this case could so well crush her career. She approached Vendigo with calmness, her watermelon sweater hugging over her floral skirt.

"Mr Vendigo, I'm afraid you are not adjusting to this situation very well." The man's frown didn't faze.

"This 'situation', Miss Myers, doesn't need _adjusting_ it needs _solving_!"

"And solve it we shall. Now I had already told you that all my finest police officers and detectives have searched the ruins almost a hundred times in counting, but the robot in which you seek is still missing."

"Search it again," he answered immediately, turning to the elevator. Helen scowled, grabbing hold of his shoulder.

"I believe you didn't hear my words correctly. ALL my greatest-"

"_All_ your work, is not finished. Search the building again."

"It is more of a ash heap now so there is nothing left to search!" Helen growled. Vendigo stood his ground, coming in close to her face.

"I have three million people on this floating piece of dirt that are scared out of their minds," he explains coldly, "If I don't see that blasted Tenma behind bars and that robot in the fire pit then I will fire everyone in this ROOM, starting with your hard earned career. Got it?" he spat. The room went silent, watching to see Helen's reaction. She took a breath through her nose, challenging him with a heavy stare.

"As I reassured two days ago, Mr Vendigo, we will find it."


	7. Darkest Shadows

Metro City was a grand place filled with beautiful lights, the cleanest streets and high-class robots. But even the most lit up streets have its dark alley ways. The brightest lights have the darkest shadows. The most intelligent robots have the most dangerous malfunctions.

Alicia knew this fact well. Blowing some golden hair out of her vision, the young adult scampered in-between the many smooth dumpsters, kicking up old robot parts and food waste as she went. Arriving at the end of the ally way, she pressed her back against the building to check her path.

**RUSTLE**.

With a gasp she quickly pulled out her stun gun, pulling it in front of her and aiming at any movement. A high-pitched squeak sounded and a huge black rat scurried out from behind the shadows, rushing back into a chipped hole in the side of the building. With a sigh Alicia pulled the weapon back to the safety of her belt.

"Rats..." she hissed, looking around. "I'm in the right place..."

With a slight urgency, the young adult sprinted along the dark streets, the arching buildings lurking over her as if staring her down. She scanned the slightly moist concrete ground, sliding old beer bottles and cans out of her path. As her pace quickened, she looked up to the building she was looking for. It was one cramped in next to some more modern ones, yet this one was more a broken down construction site, with tipped over beams and smashed windows. Quietly she ran up to the crumbled entrance with one hand lightly on the gun as she disappeared inside. Her teeth immediately started to chatter a bit. Whether it was from the chilling environment or that dread in her bones, she'll never tell. She strode over to a stair way, passing tipped over desks and smashed walls.

The entire room was either a shade of grey or black, and it had a sort of feeling to it, like it was trying to tell you that it's seen better times, that it once was an important place to be.

Well, now it's just another pile of junk.

Alicia looked around with a rub of her shoulders before stepping up the concrete stairs, a loud tapping of her shoes echoing up the walls, trying to escape through the roof. She started running thoughts through her head.

_This might not be such a good idea...but no. He has to be told and he has to know. I won't stop until he's heard every word I have to say, whether he listens or not._

She reached the end of the stairs with a stop of her feet. Her legs immediately stopped stiff, her hands clenching. There.

Right there, he sat.

She swallowed. In the corner of the room, next to the emergency exit was a hunched over figure snugly in a chair looking over a desk, half hidden by the shadows. Meaningless pencils and old office work items spilled over the surface, looking like someone had thrown a fit over nothing. All that she could see of the man was the outline of his thick leather jacket and some hint of the tip of his raggy brown hair. She stood there for what felt like years, just waiting for something to invite her to move, eyeing the figure that looked just as idle.

_Bad idea..._she screamed in her head. _Bad idea, bad idea..._

Before she could think to move, he spoke.

"I don't bite, Alicia."

With a stop of her breath for a few moments, the woman stared at the figure in front of her. His head was slightly tilted back now. Knowing she couldn't leave without an explanation, she slowly proceeded forward. She cleared her throat, stopping a few feet from him.

"Tenma," was all she could summon at the moment. She jumped as the very same rat as before ran along the ground and scampered up his chair, sitting upon the desk. An outstretched arm reached out, revealing a piece of pale cheese. Immediately the rat started to nibble on it.

She raised an eyebrow. "Made some new friends?" His head dropped and rose in a pathetic excuse for a nod.

"Why are you here?" he asked in his deep voice, with a tone that always reminded you that he knows better. She rubbed her elbow, a slight nervousness in her blood.

"I-I-I-"

"Took a wrong turn? Change your mind about seeing me? I wouldn't be surprised. Most don't understand my decisions. I am now considered a threat."

"To tell you the truth, Tenma? We always knew you were a ticking bomb," she said, approaching him more as the confidence kicked in. Her presence scared the rodent and it leapt off the surface of the old pine, disappearing once again.

"Bombs destroy things. I create." He said without hesitation, tilting his head away so his face was more in the shadows. Alicia scowled.

"How could you say that? Tenma, you are _wanted_ for your destruction!"

Tenma didn't say anything.

She shook her head in disappointment. "Have you seen these?" she asked, slamming a pile of paper on his desk, causing the pens and pencils to roll off onto the cold floor. Tenma looked down to them. There were two sorts, one of them a picture of Tenma, showing he was wanted, and the next showing the robot. The child robot, with those star spikes in his hair, and those beautiful brown eyes she'd come to love.

As soon as the poster met his eyes, his hand immediately shot forward to the photo. Her face still remained stern.

"See? Your creation-"

"My mistake..." Tenma groaned, bringing his hand back.

"Your SON is out there! He's probably lost, scared and wondering what was wrong with him, thanks to you!" she growled. A slam of Tenma's fist on the desk made her freeze up again. She was quiet for a moment, waiting for him to speak. After a few minutes she gathered he had nothing to say.

"Tenma," she said calmly, "We have to find your robot before they do." The man leaned back in his chair.

"He is no longer mine. I thought I made that clear that I do not need him."

"Well he needs you now! So why won't you show a little compassion for-"

"A ROBOT!" he raised his voice, slamming both hands on the desk and rising from his chair. Alicia stared at him, his head bent down low to the wood of the desk. She took a deep breath, slowly reaching her hand out and placing it on his back. Before she could say anything he responded. "Fine." The woman reeled back a bit. "Just fine. Find the robot, take it to your stupid father and keep him there. But I do not want it back. I don't want to see him..." she scowled.

"_Stupid father_ now is it?" she growled. Tenma sat back down, hand to chin.

"Why are you wearing that?" he asked. Alicia scowled once again when he didn't have any concern of his payout. But she took a glance down to her cloths- a blue police top with black pants, with all the gizmos and weapons that came with it. She tugged on them.

"I've been impersonating a police officer for weeks now! I thought I told you that! That's how I've been able to know all this!" she threw her arms in the air. "I've been trying to level out all this shit you've brought on us and I'm going to finish it!" she finished with a deep breath. She looked at him, rage still etched in her thoughts. They both stood there for a few seconds, wondering who would speak. Tenma reached an arm out to place on Alicia's shoulder. Her face still didn't show any empathy for him.

"Alicia," he started. Alicia's eyes twitched. "This 'shit' is only brought upon yourselves because you chose to become a part of my problems. The last thing I would want is my own niece to get in trouble or killed. The robot is not your problem, he's mine. If I don't chose to do anything, I don't expect you to take up the challenge." Alicia's face softened.

"It's because we care, Uncle. I don't want you behind bars, or Tobi to die." Tenma grunted a bit on the name. "I know it's hard to face your past, and even just saying his name makes you cringe, but we have to set things right." Tenma took a step back, returning to the dark shadows.

"Then you go set things right." She smiled with a nod, walking back to the stairs. Sure he was a crazy misunderstood genius, but she understood him better than most people. You don't treat people of stone like they're glass, you have to stand up for yourself, and tell them straight. Tenma was only human, just like anyone else trying to get out of a problem they've made themselves.

She stopped at the door way as he spoke once more.

"And don't die. Always a good bonus."

Alicia chuckled and nodded, walking out the room.

* * *

><p>Atom, Zane and Cora smiled as they pushed through the very last bushes and trees to come to the Hunter's Camp. It was a very humble place, with five small tents surrounding a camp fire. The ember glow bathed many logs surrounding it, and a small metal pot was hanging over the flames. Numerous ropes, tokens, pots, bags and tools spilled around the edges of the tents, and the three figured they didn't usually get guests. But the eye drawing feature by far was where this camp was.<p>

It was just at the edge of a huge glistening lake. Under the moon it truly looked magical, with seemingly diamonds sparkling on the surface.

Cora's eyes widened as she stepped forward, stopping at the foot of the fire. "Whoa..." she breathed. Zane looked just enhanced, stepping next to her.

"Lake," he nodded. "Big lake..."

Atom cautiously scampered over to them as the Hunters proceeded forward, smiling.

"Home sweet home!" Eric chuckled.

"_MEEP_!"

They all jumped as a flash of pink zoomed past their eyes. Atom was pushed backwards as something knocked him over. Rascal let out a laugh of glee as the 'something' rushed into her arms. Lin caught Atom from falling, smiling.

"Watch your step..." she whispered to him. Atom quickly pushed off her, stepping a little closer to Cora. The three looked to see Rascal hugging the neck of some sort of emu/flamingo robot. It's pink metal covering had an orange glow to sit beside the fire and its long neck stretched around Rascal, humming and nibbling her hair. She let out a squeaky laugh.

"Momo! Down girl!" Zag dragged past.

"I thought we agreed it was a boy..." he growled. Rascal squeezed Momo defensively.

"No way!" she screeched.

"So! This is going to be your tent," Eric said, walking over to what looked like a cloth thrown over two branches tied together. He ducked inside, fishing around to remove any unwanted items.

"Don't need that..." he grunted as he threw out a pot. "Or that..." a rubber duck, a lead, a reel of rope, a computer mouse and various other junk spilled out, landing at their feet. They all winced as a cleaver sliced into the dirt in front of Atom.

Soon the man dusted his hands, straightening up and stepping out. "That should do it!" he beamed.

"You all actually live here?" Zane asked, dropping his bag by the tent and walking closer to the river's edge.

"Yep," Lin muttered. Cora grinned.

"It's beautiful." She cooed. Atom leapt over to Zane, eyes narrowing. Located in the center of the lake, sat what looked like an island of lights. He raised an arm, pointing to it.

"What's that?" Eric came up next to him, squinting.

"That? Oh! That's Scarlet Lakes!" Cora and Zane twisted around.

"Scarlet Lakes?" they gasped. Lin and Zag nodded.

"That's where we have to go next!" Cora said. "Is there any way you could give us a ride over there?"

Eric grinned and nodded, walking over to a bare tree arching by the water. Out of the shadows Cora spotted a small wooden post struck into the earth. Eric grunted as he leaned over, picking up a damp twist rope. Tugging it, his face dropped a little. He pulled the rope up more, and more and more until the end of it was dangling in front of his face. His mouth twisted into a scowl.

"ZAG!" he screeched. The boy looked up with annoyance.

"What?" he snapped. Eric was just about fuming, walking over to him with rope in hand, the fingers almost white from gripping it so hard.

"I thought I told to make sure the boat was strung up TIGHT!" Racal looked shocked.

"The boat's not here?" she whimpered. Eric gestured to the rope and shook his head.

"Well, I'm sorry I'm not perfect!" Zag growled, walking up to a black tent and disappearing inside, an array of curses following. Zane stepped forward.

"Wait- what's with a boat?" he asked. Eric sighed, chucking the rope to the side.

"That was the way we use to get to Scarlet Lakes..." he growled. Cora felt a rock sink in her stomach.

"Is there any other way?" she asked hopefully. Lin nodded, flicking her cigarette into

the flames of the fire.

"Yeah, but it takes hours to venture around the lake." Rascal stamped her foot on the ground.

"That's not fair! It's Zag's fault! Why do we have to do all the work?"

"Whining does not help, Rascal!" Eric snapped. Cora snapped her head towards Atom as she felt a tug on her shoulder.

"What?" she hissed. She was not in the mood to be annoyed by a robot right now. She saw his eyes locked onto something across the water. As usual, he out-stretched an arm and pointed to something. "Could you use words for once?" she growled. Atom looked to her with hunched shoulders for a while, then cleared his throat.

"Boat."

Cora, Zane and Eric glanced over to where he was pointing to see a shadowed figure bobbing in the water, far off in the distance. Eric sighed angrily.

"Great. Just great!"

"Can't someone swim?" Zane asked. Eric blinked.

"What, all the way out there? Be my guest!" he walked back to the fire, leaving the three to still stare out to the lost item. Zane scratched the back of his neck,

"Well...I guess we got some traveling to do tomorrow." He sighed.

"That sucks..." Cora mumbled. Wiping a hand over her face, she looked over to Atom, standing quietly. "Can you swim?" she asked. The robot's eyes widened. He quickly shook his head, taking many steps back.

"I'm not swimming!"

"No-one's swimming," they heard Eric declare. Twisting to him, they saw the man slowly sit upon one of the logs, Lin by his side. "It's late, and all of us have had a big day. I suggest we drop it until the morning." Reaching out and glancing into the steaming bottom of the pot hanging over the pit, he rubbed his hands together and licked his lips.

"Who's hungry?"

Cora dug her chop sticks into her tin bowl filled with moist rice, juicy snippets of chicken and a green vegetable she didn't bother to identify. They all had been given dry cloths and well desired food. No matter how filling Abigail's pancakes were, Zane and Cora were near the tip of starvation. While she wore an old purple sweater and black skinny jeans, Zane ended up having a black t-shirt, ripped jeans and a black leather jacket as his cloths were from Zag.

Sitting with her legs locked into a tight cross, she looked around to the other people around the slightly smothered camp fire.

Zane was next to her, lifting his bowl up to his mouth and scooping as much as he could in with loud slurps, now and then punching his chest and coughing. She shook her head with a smile and looked to Rascal who was giving half her dinner to Momo, not that the robot needed it. The ostrich-like

creature stuck its head into the white rice, nibbled around and then gave a look to the child, the sticky grains stuck around its beak. Rascal let out a giggle, hugging her.

Then there was Atom, wearing a baggy grey jumper over his black Speedo. He sat with knees pulled up to his chest, smiling and watching everyone with a slight wonder. Cora wondered if he still had that slight discomfort towards the Hunters, but right now he seemed calm.

Shrugging, she looked to Lin by his side. She was right now on her third beer, not minding that much about the food. Apparently Lin had a great sense of direction and aim, but that was hard to believe right now, watching her scull her alcohol.

Zag was sitting by the tent, slowly eating small mouthfuls of rice while having two pale head phones stuck in his ears. By the way he bobbed his head to a silent tune, it was a pretty good song.

Eric was defiantly a family guy, as he would talk loudly and laugh with everyone, even when no-one was really listening to him...

"So, where are you kids from?" Eric asked, looking to Zane and Cora. The two looked to each other, thinking what possible harm could four lone Hunters do if they told them.

"We work at a circus," Cora answered, picking some chicken from her teeth. Rascal gasped, eyes shining.

"Circus!" she cheered, leaning on her pet. "I love the circus! Can we go to the circus? Please?" Eric frowned, shaking his head.

"Depends on what circus." He said gruffly, looking to Zane for an answer.

"Great Robot Circus!" he grinned, puffing his chest out boldly. They all almost choked on their food. Lin sprung forward, her mouthful of beer sizzling into the flames.

"No kidding!" Eric gasped, coughing into his hand. "That's one of the most famous circus's around! You two work there?"

"Yeah!" Cora said, leaning forward to feel the heat on her cheeks. Rascal looked to Atom.

"You're a circus robot?" without waiting for an answer she latched onto his shoulder. "That's so COOL!" she screamed.

"No Rascal," Zane placed a hand on her shoulder. "Atom isn't a circus robot. He will be, once we get to the circus," he told, returning to his precious feast.

"So that's why we caught you in a forest!" Lin said, twirling her finger in the air. "You two..." she addressed drunkenly, pointing to the teenagers. She paused for a minute before shoving her beer can in Atom direction. "You _three_...are trying to get...to a circus..." she finished, nodding like she was a genius. Cora raised an eyebrow to Zane, snickering.

"Yep, that's pretty much it," she said. "Enough about us- what about you four? You guys family?"

"Oh god no!" Eric laughed. He pointed to Rascal. "I was venturing when I found this little thing as a baby, shoved into a bag. I actually bumped my head on it- it was hanging from a tree branch." Rascal almost fell backwards in a fit of giggles and snorts.

"Haha! I hit you in the head I couldn't even walk yet!" she laughed. Cora and Zane knew far worse abandon stories, and were quite amused to look at the child cry of laughter at her misfortune. Atom was much the opposite, struck with horror.

"Who on earth would stuff a baby in a bag?" he asked, disgusted. Eric let of a shrug.

"Same reason they dump robots in the Waste Lands. They don't want them anymore," he answered easily, taking a mouth full of food. Atom looked even more shocked, leaning forward more as if he maybe he heard him wrong.

"B-but...that's so wrong! If you have a child, then it's yours! You're supposed to look after them, and love them, and-"

"Obviously, people don't get that message, Atom," the man said, looking him in the eye. Atom was completely stunned, unable to say anything. Eric sighed. "Look, no-one should be treated that way- I hear you mate. But this happens every day. On the Surface and Metro City. Young people who think they know everything try to suddenly take on a responsibility like a child, and even less than three days in they've had enough."

Cora saw the boy's face twist in confusion and shock. "That...that's awful," he quivered, looking to the ground. Lin chuckled, looking loosely in her hand bag for another drink.

"Don't act so surprised..." she murmured, "Isn't that what happened to you?" she asked, cracking open another beer and slurping up the bubbles.

Cora scowled at the woman's un-empathy towards Atom, seeing the robot's head drop to the ground showing an emotion she couldn't really pin on. Rascal stared at him for a long while, stroking Momo on the head.

"What about Zag?" Zane asked, willingly changing the subject. Eric's face brightened.

"Ahhh, yes! Zag! Me and Rascal met Zag when he was only around four. He was getting mugged in Scarlet Lakes."

"And you saved him?" Cora asked.

"Nah, they left him to die." Zane remarked in an obvious tone, rolling his eyes. Without warning Lin let out a long stream of laughs and hiccups. They all frowned at each other, but laughed with her.

"Dare I say it," Cora snickered, "But what about Lin?" Eric smiled and nodded, placing his empty bowl beside him.

"We ran into Lin in the forest actually. She was (brace yourself), drunk," he laughed. Cora pretended to look shocked.

"No way!" she gasped. Rascal giggled.

"She's really weird when she's drunk," she mumbled, looking to her. Lin grinned at her, reaching out and pressing on her nose.

"You look so much like a monkey!" she gurgled. Zane almost choked on his food, erupting in laughter. Eric chuckled with them, digging in his pocket and taking out a leather bound bottle. Cora giggled, chucking her bowl to the side.

"What's that?" she asked. Eric let out an evil laugh.

"Entertainment!" Zane and Cora leaned forward with a grin. Eric took a swing of whatever was in it and held it out to Zane, but pulled back as Rascal made a grab for it.

"Mine!"

"Oh no you don't!" he snapped. "The last thing we need is a drunk Rascal..." he chuckled, throwing it up. Zane yelped as he snatched it out of the air, pulling it to his lips. Cora burst into laughter as his face scrunched up like he had just bitten into a lemon.

"That really..." he coughed, "that's some strong stuff..." he wheezed. The man winked.

"Out here mate? It's gotta be!"

As Cora, Zane and Eric continued talking, Zag glanced over to Atom, head still down and looking like he didn't belong. Ripping the ear phones from his head, he slowly got up with a stretch and dragged himself over to him. Atom's ear flickered slightly, turning his head. He came face to face with the teenager. Gasping in surprise he flinched back, making Zag chuckle.

"Not that scary am I?" Atom raised an eyebrow.

"What do you want?" he asked, doubting he just wanted to say hello from first impressions. Zag grunted a bit as he rolled half on his back, sitting down.

"You seem like an interesting guy," he said easily. "You seem lost." Atom frowned for a bit.

"Well, yeah. I mean we were supposed to turn the other way on the Surface Ridge and-"

"A-tom," Zag said, pronouncing his name slightly off. He looked at him with a mocking face. "You don't know what to do around humans that well. You look lost."

The robot reeled back slightly, taking in what he said. Sighing in defeat, he looked to the ground.

"I'm not even sure why I was created..." he almost whispered. Zag nodded casually, flipping his hoodie over his head.

"You know humans get that same feeling?" Atom frowned at him.

"What?" _What was so bad about being human?_

"Well, some people wonder why they were put on this earth. Wonder what they are made to do. People who are lost for talents, for a will to live."

"And do you have a will to live?" Atom asked, intrigued with the entire conversation. Zag stared at nothing unparticular for a second before adjusting his seating. Looking over to Eric, he changed the subject.

"You know it's about now the guy tells his favorite joke."

Atom frowned at his hesitance to answer his question but, glanced over to the gruff man with him anyway. Sure enough, Eric paused from laughing to clear his throat.

"Here, gather around. I wanna tell you kids this cracker of a joke..." Rascal groaned, rolling back in her seat.

"Not this one again!" she whined. The boy robot broke into a smile of wonder, looking to Zag. He gave him a smirk then nodded to Lin.

"Lin would probably be just about ready to complain about the lake..."

In another out-burst of beer bubbles the woman started debating, flinging her arms in the air aimlessly.

"Eric!" she screeched, cutting the man off from his punch line. With a tighten of his fist he shot his head over to her. "The lake!" she almost screamed. Cora and Zane frowned at each other.

"What about it?!" Eric snapped. Lin's alerted face suddenly went blank. Her shoulders dropped as well as her head.

"It's blue..." she pouted. Atom sent another strange glance to Zag, who was rather enjoying being admired by him.

"You can see into the future!" Atom scoffed.

"Or I've just been hanging around these losers for far too long," he muttered. "Sad, huh?"

"Sad?" he asked, eyebrows raised. "How could that be sad?" Atom looked around at the Hunters, at Eric telling Lin off and Rascal showing off to Zane and Cora. "You have somewhere you belong..."

"Duck."

The robot slowly looked to the teenager, confusion written all over his face.

"Excuse me?" Zag eyed him.

"DUCK."

"I still don't-"

"_MEEP_!"

In a flash of pink Atom winced as the robotic bird slammed its head down on his skull. Pulling his arms instantly over his head as Momo trotted off to Lin, Zag rolled over in laughter.

Cora grinned, reaching out and grabbing the small metal bottle. Zane looked to her with a daring smirk. "Go ahead!" he offered cheerily. Cora brought her nose to the top, sniffing in the strong musky scent. Almost sneezing, she squeezed her eyes shut and tipped the liquid into her mouth.

As the night went on, Eric continued to laugh and joke with Cora and Zane, Lin slurred and burst out in the most random comments, Zag went back to his tent for the night and Rascal patted Momo while chatting with Atom. Though Eric's jokes not the funniest ones around, the two teens ended up rolling on the floor anyway as the alcohol was kicking in rather quick.

Rascal enjoyed mindlessly telling Atom every fact there was about Momo. Apparently they had found her in Scarlet Lakes, beaten and rusty. With the help of Zag's mechanics they were able to get her working as good as new. Momo didn't particularly take a quick liking to Atom at first, swinging her head at him, biting his ear and hissing at him in a strange clicking call. Though the child persisted that they were accidents, the boy knew when he was un-wanted. But that all changed about five minutes after...

Atom's brows furrowed as he felt the large robot bird lean next to him. As soon as he made a move to inch away, Momo struck down on his head.

"_RACHH_!" it hissed. Atom scowled, looking into the blue eyes. Momo pulled its beak into a slight snarl, as if daring him to compete with it. A sudden electricity flowed through Atom's body as his mouth opened to let out a noise he didn't even know he could summon.

"RACHH!" he spat back. Rascal immediately spun in her seat, eyes wide. She noticed the change of tone in the call, looking to Atom.

"Was that _you_?" she asked. Momo was staring at the robot in front of her, un-able to think on what to do next. Atom looked just as blankly.

"I-I think so..." he stuttered. The bird's beak started to vibrate.

"_CHCHCHRRR_..."

Atom frowned slightly, but angled his lower jaw.

"CHCHRR..." he called back, feeling the energy whirr and buzz around his head. Rascal's face lit up.

"Hey guys!" she called. Eric. Zane and Cora were busy laughing to tears at nothing in particular. She crossed her arms. "GUYS!"

"What?" Eric asked, wiping his eye.

"Atom can sound like Momo!" the three slightly frowned, leaning forward in their seats. The child grinned at the two, an expecting expression on her face. Momo snapped her head back to Atom, almost knocking him out.

"_CHCHRRR_!" it purred. Atom stared at her for a long while before he responded.

"CHCHRR..."

It seemed everyone froze for a full minute before bursting out in laughter.

Soon later Lin's bubbly mood was replaced with sleepiness, and Eric has escort her to her tent. The poor woman passed out before even getting fully inside. The rest however were still rocking the night out, playing music from the old days, the most being 'The Day That I Die' by Good Charlotte. Zane had the pleasure of yelping out the dog barks that were played at the start, and after would boast how he was amazingly raised by wolves. Cora would try to punch his shoulder, but end up falling off her log most of the time.

Atom still watched, laughing at jokes and trying to get enough room from Momo smothering him. Apparently to her they were now best friends. Rascal was looking rather tired, but that all changed when she stole a random can from Lin's bag. After three gulps of it, she looked like she could stay up for weeks.

Over all the night was perfect. The stars were like an overhead blanket, the moon was the pearl of the sky and everything was wonderful. With slightly toasted faces and chilling backs, Eric carried Rascal to her tent for the night and Zane, Cora and Atom crammed into their tent, toppling over each other as they collapsed onto the thin cushion and passed out.

* * *

><p>Pepper hated grease. And dirt. And mud. And...well, anything that would get her dirty. So her and a super mechanic should be sworn enemies, right?<p>

Well...not to her.

The girl giggled to herself as she snuck out of her bed, her feet squeaking on the old wood floor. Looking to the others in her tent, she felt her heart quicken, hoping not to wake them. There was Dolly, the thirteen year old prissy girl. She was apart of Pepper's little gang, which was acceptable because she was rather quirky and wouldn't belong anywhere else. Her hair was bleached white and always (and I mean _always_) in two spiky ponytails, her eyes were a shade between pink and red and she had some obsession over giraffes. Because of this she was in charge of the robotic giraffes in the circus.

Above her was another girl, but one very different. Her name was Goth. No-one knew her real name, and she seemed to have forgotten anyway. Matching her name, everything on her body was a shade of black. Her cloths, her hair, her makeup, her shoes and many tattoos that decorated her arms. She was around 17, and barely spoke to anyone except Cathy- even then only rarely.

And the last bunk below Dolly was empty, a long body shape still pressed into the spongy mattress. This was Cora's bed, but right now is obviously abandoned. Turning her nose up in a slight satisfaction, Pepper snuck out through the cramped door, stepping onto the dried grass. She glanced down to the right, seeing another large carriage stretch along the rails. This one was much bigger than the sleeping bunkers, and instead of being thrown in darkness the lights were on, casting shadows and beams of light everywhere. Smiling dreamily to herself, she snuck around the side to the large open steel doorway. Slightly coughing to the heavy smell of grease, she stepped up the small step and entered the work shop.

There were chips and puddles of oil and grime on the old wooden floor, along with many rusted shelves along the walls. Old robots, robot parts, boxes of tools and cloths filled them, letting out shades of navy blue, rusted red and oranges. A main working bench was placed in the center, thick and large enough to take up half the space. On it right now was a hunched over blue robot, face pulled into a upside down grin, wide eyes flinching and two curved up spikes on its head like a Viking's helmet. It's chest plate was pulled open, wires exposed into the brightness of the overhead light. It truly was a mechanic's dream.

But the attraction she was looking for was a small boy hunched over on a stool, arm twisting as he tightened bolts with a wrench. His blue baggy jumper was splashed with dirt and smears, his red spiky hair was greasy and tussled and he barely made any noise while working.

Pepper grinned, stepping light footed to the side, next to an old rusting chair. As quiet as she tried to be, the boy's head lifted almost immediately. His arm froze mid-turn and the robot's eyes flinched towards her.

"What do you want Pepper?" he asked tiredly. The girl giggled, striding over to him.

"You must have a radar for me!" she squeaked, pulling a strand of her hair. He returned to his work.

"No, I just have a radar for annoyances," he mumbled. Pepper let out a laugh, not taking it as an offence. Placing a hand on his shoulder and looking over, her eyes shined.

"Whatcha doing Reno?" she asked. Reno sighed, turning his head to another angle as he placed the spanner down and fiddled with some wires from the robot's open chest plate.

"Thunder broke most of his computer functions. The main wire circuitry got an over load of information at the same time and fried it." He took the moment to scratch his head, a troubled expression clouding his eyes. Pepper leaned off him, swinging her arms behind her back innocently, knowing she didn't understand a word he said.

"What's wrong?" she asked with big eyes, trying to act like she cared. Reno looked up to the head of Thunder, the robot's eyes fixed on the table.

"Thunder's computer systems are _meant_ to take in a load of information. He's a super computer- his functions are meant to have perfect timing. So he can jump into that leap of death..." his voice trailed off, thinking.

"Leap of death?" Pepper asked, knowing what it was but wanting to keep a conversation. Reno nodded, eyes never meeting hers.

"That trapeze act where robots have to swing through thousands of bolts of electricity? Thunder can only do it because of his super computer timings. But it's overloaded..." he mumbled, returning to his work. Pepper tapped on the desk, annoyed that the boy barely noticed her. All the other guys gave her attention. Why was the only one she took a fancy to more interested in robots then her?

She leaned against the table, watching the fifteen year old work with care and experience. Oblivious on how to keep his attention, she waited for him to start a conversation.

"Shouldn't you be in bed?" he asked, at last looking up to her eyes. She felt her shoulders slump at the baby blue irises staring into her own dull green ones. She grinned, nodding.

"Yep!" Reno raised an eyebrow. "I snuck out!"

"Aren't you rebel?" he mumbled sarcastically, returning to the robot. She hopped up on the bench, swinging her legs beneath her.

"I wanted to stay up with you," she cooed. Reno rolled his eyes.

"How desperate are you?" he asked. Pepper pretended not to hear, smiling goofily. The boy sighed, shaking his head and picking up the spanner. "Have you heard any news on Cora and Zane?" he said, staring at the groves on the cold metal. Pepper felt a fire in her throat, her eyes glaring.

_Cora...why does he like Cora so much! She's a loser!_

"Why?" she asked, trying not to let the venom seep into her voice. Reno didn't answer for a bit, twisting more bolts and screws.

"They've been gone for four days now," he answered, worry etching into his brow. "I'm just curious on where they are."

"They were declared dead."

Pepper said a little too quickly. He stopped mid turn for a moment, his head turned away. Pepper bit her lip, continuing to swing her legs softly. A long moment passed.

"They're not dead..." he told himself, shaking his head and returning to his work. "They're not dead..." Pepper rolled her eyes, looking to a wooden tool box by her side.

"Sure, think what you want," she mumbled. Reno half smiled, shaking his head. After a while he stretched out an arm to her, holding out his hand. She stared at it for a long time, wondering what to do.

"Drill." She flinched at the order. A smile regained as she snapped her head to the tool box, studying the different objects, metal and plastic. Her tongue stuck out across her lip as her hand hovered above them.

"Uhhh..." she hadn't a clue on what he was asking for. "Umm, no...not that one..."

Reno let out a tired sigh, tapping his foot on the ground impatiently. Soon Pepper stuck a screw driver in his face. He blinked a couple times, wondering if she was for real. But the girls' beaming face remained. He shook his head, reached out and grabbing the blue drill himself.

"Have you _ever_ worked with tools before?" he asked. She blushed, embarrassed, and shook her head.

"No..." she whispered, watching him sit back down and use the drill to aid the robot. With a small groan he lifted the chest plate back in place, a shrill hum from the small machine sounding as it reconnected each bolt. "Maybe you could show me?" she asked, fluttering her eyelashes. Reno sighed once again, a playful smirk on his face.

"I think I'll pass." He said surely, sticking some bolts to his lips as his hands were soon full. A moment of silence between them passed, only the ringing of metal against metal and appliances filling the air. Pepper scratched and picked at her nails as Reno re-attached the chest plate in a matter of seconds. Dusting his hands together and wiping his forehead, he took a few steps back.

"That should do it buddy!" he grinned. Thunder slowly raised his head to him, but nothing else. He didn't seem troubled, patting it on the shoulder. "I'll finish you off tomorrow, hey?"

"It can't talk, you know." Pepper mumbled, raising an eyebrow. Reno didn't respond for a minute, still smiling over the machine.

"But it can still hear you," he answered, grabbing the tool box and placing it on a rusty shelf. Pepper hopped off the bench, placing a hand on her hip.

"Why bother worrying about what it hears when it can't respond anyway?" she asked, not understanding what the boy was trying to prove. Reno shook his head, shoving his hands in his pockets.

"You don't get it Pepper," he smiled, looking up to her. "And I don't think you ever will."

With that he leapt out of the carriage, flicking the light switch as he did so. Pepper turned up her nose, slowly following him out.

"Robots..." she muttered to herself. She looked around the work area for a small moment, before shaking her head and heading back to her bunk.

* * *

><p>All was silent.<p>

All were asleep.

Accept for one.

Atom stretched his arm over his head, his brown glazed eyes fixed on the roof of the tent, looking at nothing in particular. Taking a breath through his nose, he started to think things over. So many things...

_I'm headed to a circus..._he started, eyebrows furrowing a tad. _What will happen to me there? It doesn't exactly sound like paradise. But why else would Zane and Cora be so eager to get back?_

Turning his head, his eyes came to lay upon Cora's sleeping face. The chilling weather had made her skin even paler, the tip of her nose almost completely white. Her hair was tussled in every direction, only a thick quilt was pulled loosely over her as Zane stole most of it and she had lost her pillow. It was then that he noticed she was actually sleeping on his right arm. He raised an eyebrow, feeling his cheeks flair up.

"Uhhh..."

He slowly tried to pull it away, only for her to groan and cling onto it like a teddy bear. The robot laid there for a second, wondering what to do. He soon decided to leave it, and went back to thinking. He took a moment to listen to the crickets outside, the small whispering of the trees, and let his head clear.

_I don't want to go to a circus._

It was that thought that just burned in his mind. He had tried to think of it as a great place to go. To have somewhere he could call home, surrounded by all these new people. But no. He knew it wouldn't be like that at all. He was a robot. A robot headed for a robot circus. What could be worse?

He flinched as he heard Cora groan again, and to his relief she released his arm and rolled over, snuggling into Zane's jacket. He smiled, slowly arching his back as he sat up. A slither of pure white moon light shone in from a crack in the tent, spilling onto Atom's face as he rubbed his neck.

_I could run away_, he thought_. I could run, be free of the circus fate. Be free of being bossed around, be free of being told what to do._

"To where?" he thought out loud. And who was he kidding? He would never be free. He was doomed to the life of being a servant for whoever he ran into. That's what being a robot was. Forever dragging around chains. Chains with no key.

Atom sighed long and deep, glancing to Zane and Cora.

Zane and Cora.

Another reason to stay.

Though Cora could be extremely bossy and annoying and Zane was a sleepy teen who didn't think much for robots, he found himself developing a sort of attachment for the two. He had gone through so much with them already, and he couldn't even begin to think about leaving them, having to forget them. No matter how much they all said they weren't...

They were friends.

Sliding his legs out from a thin sheet, Atom settled onto his knees for a slight moment, looking at Cora as she began to shiver. The quilt had slipped from her shoulders, hanging lamely at her waist. Her hands clenched as her body shook, a small clicking sound of teeth against teeth rising up. Atom carefully reached out, grabbing the corner of the spread and gingerly pulling it up to her neck. Just like that the shivering ceased with a loud sigh.

Smiling, he leapt to his feet and pushed through the floppy green entrance, walking out into the night. The soft sound of snoring lifted from Eric's tent, mixing in with the calls of the wildlife. Atom took a moment to just stand there, looking out to the lake.

It was the most beautiful thing he had ever seen. The full moon cast an eerie glowing path through the middle of it, small flecks of light glittering over the surface. The water was just sitting there, completely at peace. Un-touchable.

He stood there for a long moment of time, just staring. Soon after his head turned to the black coals of the fire. A few minutes after everyone had settled in, Cora had snuck out and smothered the flames for no reason he could summon. But the look of disgust, fear and longing was etched all over her face as she poured the water over the heat, like it was the devil its self. Cora had obviously something against fires, and he knew it was more than Autumn.

Leaving it, he slowly strode past, his boots crunching on twigs and leaves. He looked up to the gloomy forest, wrapped in darkness as the tall pines blocked out any light. He reached out, feeling the textures of a spiky bush before pushing past it. Ducking under a tree branch he stepped into a small clearing, where the grass and shrubs were bathed in white. Silently, he stepped into the center.

He wasn't sure of what he was doing. He stared straight down at his boots, thinking. He thought of the fire from them, the sparks. He thought of the clicking when he was dancing with Cora. He took a moment to breath in, closing his eyes.

_Dancing with Cora...flying...flying...flying..._

Softly, he moved his foot to the side. Then slid his other to the right. He let himself spin in slow circles, concentrating on only one thing.

_Flying, flying, flying..._

He didn't know how many times he repeated that in his head, but he stopped short when he heard the sound.

**'CLICK.'**

Like music to his ears.

But his half grin soon slid as he felt himself falling.

"Oomph!" The ground met his body in a loud thud. Groaning, Atom rolled onto his back, lifting his legs to examine them. Sure enough, both of them were now small stubs. He didn't know whether to feel happy or disturbed. He'd had his fair share of lost parts already...

Sitting up, he lifted one leg. He was completely oblivious on what to do next, as he hadn't exactly chosen to set them off before.

"Okay...so what do I do n-"

**'ZOOM!'**

Just like that, they both activated in an outburst of fire.

"WHOOAA!" he found himself skidding across the clearing, until a sharp pain met his back.

**SLAM!**

Just like before, Atom was smashed into a tree, the bark splintered and branches shaken. Groaning, the robot rubbed his neck, using the tree as support to stand up. He scowled, glancing down to the two stubs.

"Okay, so I know they work..." he mumbled. Carefully stretching out one leg slightly, he focused deeply on trying to connect with them. He had enough of crashing into trees for one day. He frowned in determination, starting at the bright red. After a while of waiting in the cold silent world, his ears flinched.

**CLICK**.

It reverted into the normal boot slowly, the metal sliding and clicking back into place. Smiling with wonder, Atom summoned the change again. With another sharp click, they turned to the small stubs, faster this time. He practiced that for however long, before deciding to try a get the flames going for the third time.

"Okay..." he whispered to himself, laying his feet gently beside one another. Squeezing his eyes shut, he curled his fists and concentrated. For a few seconds nothing happened, until Atom felt the heating up sensation once again at the very tips of his feet. He bit his lip, focusing hard. Suddenly a soft burning flame lit up the swaying grass around him, scorching the green stems to a black ash. He felt himself slowly rise and hover above the ground. Grinning, he took a small glance down. Sure enough, the small flames were lifting him up.

Laughing both in excitement and amazement, he pressured them to be stronger. He lifted softly upwards, until he felt a low hanging branch prick his forehead. With a small giggle to himself, he pushed it out of the way and glanced down to his feet once again.

_I'm FLYING! How cool is that? Everything will be so easy now! We might even make it to the circus in a day!_

He grinned at the thought of zooming up with the clouds, with the wind in his hair and the world slipping past from beneath him. Sure, it would take a lot of getting used to and practice, but it felt good to finally be useful.

But among his excitement on his discovery, something drew his attention. A small sound, not one of an animal. It sounded like...gasping? Frowning, the robot shut his rockets off, sending him into a long plummet to the ground. Landing shakily on his feet, he crept up to the thick bushes and trees that blocked his sight from the lake shore, a bit off of the Hunter's camp.

_Quick breathing?_ His mind raced. _Could someone be in trouble? Choking?_

He briskly pulled a few leaves out of his sight, the light of the moon washing onto his face. The soft noise then hit his ears like a bullet.

Crying.

Not gasps for air, or any sort of danger of the sort. It was small sobbing, and it was coming from a small figure hunched in a bundle sitting by the shore line of the water. Pushing past a small clutter of shrubs that prickled his legs, Atom quietly treaded a few steps closer to the crying human. As the light reflected off the body, he noted a very recognizable purple baggy sweater and the wisps of dark spiky hair. The girl's shoulders shuddered with each expressed gasp, her head dropping as if each tear was screaming failure to her face.

As a slight shock struck him, Atom took one long stride closer to her, stepping out of the shadows and into the moon-lit abyss of the small piece of crunching mud. _Why would_ _Cora be crying? Out of all people...Cora?_ he just couldn't nail on it. _What had happened_ _to her? Was she physically hurt?_ No...he would have heard another sound. Then again, he was caught up in other things.

A smile regained on his face for a slight moment, remembering his power, but soon returned to seriousness as Cora continued to sob. He took one more step towards her.

**CRUNCH.**

With a gasp the girl flicked her head towards him. Atom winced, hunching his shoulders as the icy eyes burned into his. Cora's red face twisted into a scowl and she returned to her previous stature, hugging her knees tight to her chest. "Go away, Atom." She said firmly. The boy's eyes sparked in interest.

_So obviously its emotional problems_...he frowned, wondering what to do. He had absolutely no idea how to act around girls, especially girls who were emotional. Should he walk away? _No_, he thought_. I want to know what she's crying about..._ For some reason he wanted to know more about her. He knew there was something she wasn't telling, a secret somewhere in her past that she was keeping locked up.

He took a few more steps towards her, the crunching of his boots making her hands clench. "ATOM..." she hissed, glaring at him with wet eyes. "I said to go _away_."

"I know," he said softly, coming to a stop a few meters from her. She didn't look impressed, releasing her legs from her grasp and half twisting to him.

"Then why won't you go?" she growled.

"I think you need someone."

She let out a mocking laugh.

"Someone? You are _not_ a someone, Atom. You are a _something_. Now leave me alone!"

The robot stood there, wondering what to do. He couldn't just leave her there, crying by the water, yet Cora didn't look like she was in the talkative mood...

Still, he remained idle. The girl's face went dark.

"Atom..." she said in a low, threatening voice, "Go away." When no response came, her tone rose. "Go away! _Go away_!" she hissed, more tears flowing down her cheeks as she scrambled to her feet. "Why won't you go away?!" she screamed. Atom took a worrying step back, slightly shocked by her depression.

"I won't go away because I can't leave you crying like this!" he defended, challenging her as he held his ground.

"I'm crying because I want you to leave! Why won't you do as I say like you're supposed to?!" she yelled in his face, not bothering to wipe her wet face or straighten her twisted hoodie.

"I know it's not that," the robot said surely. "Why are you crying?"

"That's none of your business!" the teen snapped, crossing her arms.

"Considering I'm going to be practically living with you from now on, I think it is," Atom muttered, raising an eyebrow. Cora was speechless for a second. She has never, _ever_ been spoken to by a robot like this. She had barely even encountered a sturdy conversation with one! _How dare he ask about her personal information? How dare he not do as he's told_!

"_You_…have to do as you're told," she spat, shooting a finger at him.

"But I also have to help my owners in any way possible," he smugly replied, smiling a bit. Cora did NOT smile. Her face went bright red, her fists clenching.

"I can handle my problems just fine, thank you!" she growled.

"...By sobbing in the middle of the night?"

"SHUT UP!" she screamed, kicking up some mud. "Just shut up!"

The robot opened his mouth to say something, but closed it tight. She scoffed, glaring at him as his head dropped a little. A long sigh escaped her lips as they both were cast in silence. Her hands tensed as he spoke again.

"Why did you put the fire out?"

She looked to him, staring blankly. Not even trying to keep her tone contained, she answered with,

"_Excuse_ me?"

"We agreed to leave the fire until we woke up. Why did you put it out after we'd gone to sleep?" Cora scoffed, taking a step back.

"May I remind you that only a day ago we had a giant fire we had to deal with in Autumn?!" she screeched.

"You and I both know it's more than that!" Atom yelled back.

Cora froze, her mind a wreck. _How on earth did this robot guess that? Not even Zane_ _picked up on it, and he's like a brother to me!_ She simply couldn't wrap her head around it. Still reluctant, she broadened her shoulders.

"How would you know anything about me?" she snapped. His eyes were filled with persistence, and it was obvious that she wasn't going to be left alone tonight.

"That's why I brought up this whole conversation! I want to know more about your past! I care about you, Cora!" he shouted desperately.

"Don't bother! My past is something I want to forget!" her pain was building up inside her, becoming stronger and stronger. "You don't know what it's like!"

"I _don't_ know what it's like? You're lucky you even remember your past! I have no clue what happened to me!"

"You're LUCKY THEN!" she screamed back, her eyes swelling with more tears. Atom gave her a look, obviously not catching on to her opinion on how not knowing your own past was a _good_ thing. With a quick breath she continued. "Not having to have the guilt!" she gasped, clenching her chest. "The pain, the dread! Where every moment you feel happy, there's always that knowing that it'll come back to you in your sleep!" the robot pulled back a bit, frowning as each word left her mouth. "Knowing that no matter what you do, you can't go back! Knowing it was your fault!" by now Cora was in full tears, scrunching her hair as it all came rushing back. Every single image of that night, fresh in her mind, slamming down on her heart like a bullet to the leg. She felt so helpless, not being able to punish the one responsible because it was her own doings.

"It was _my fault_!" she whimpered, her voice becoming a harsh whisper as she slumped to her knees, burying her head. She didn't care that Atom was there anymore. She just wanted to scream. She wanted it all to just leave her be for good.

She wanted to die, there and then.

"_It was my fault_..." she whispered, shaking hands clenching her legs as she pulled them to her chest. She didn't hear Atom move for a long while. But soon, crunching of feet arose, mixing in with the soft sounds of the night. Before long, a warmth met her side as he quietly sat down next to her, his jumper softly brushing against her shoulder. She took a few deep breaths, looking out to the lake. Oh, how she wished she could sail on it forever. To leave everything behind- Zane, Widget, Sludge, the circus, her past...and that trail of destruction she always seems to leave behind. She wished she would run away. Run away from running away from everything. To have a re-set button, to re-do so many mistakes.

Of course, no such thing existed. She just had to live with all her problems, and she did that by bottling it up inside, and covering it with a tough shell. Never letting any of it out. Never.

Why did life _hate_ her so much? Why couldn't she be raised by a normal family, in a normal town? Why couldn't she have a normal child hood? If she had her way, she should be working at a successful company, living in a nice house with a caring boyfriend and many siblings to talk to. And a mother. And a farther.

Why, _why_ couldn't it just be _normal_?

Why was she stuck out on this river bed, crying her heart out about how she screwed up her life, with a giant mystery sitting next to her?

Taking more breaths as Atom remained silent, she thought on what she should do. _Do I_ _tell him my past?_ She thought. _I've never told anyone, and I like it that way. I don't want any pity. No reminders. But it's just a robot...no more that talking to a brick wall_, _right?_ Her mind raced, noting that Atom wasn't exactly the perfectly well-mannered robot she was used too. _He wouldn't tell anyone..._

With a close of her eyes for a few seconds, Cora inhaled through her nose and snapped them open.

Time to reveal her past.


	8. Past, Presant, Future

"I was just seven..." she started, her voice more raspy than expected. Wiping her nose and clearing her throat, she glanced to Atom for a second. He seemed completely intrigued, eyes wide and hopeful, yet still a slight worry in them. She looked at the ground. "I was only seven...that's when the trouble started."

_Cora Collins was sweet._

_Cora Collins was innocent. _

_Cora Collins was smart._

_Cora Collins was the perfect seven year old daughter you could ever imagine._

_The young girl grinned as she spun around the lounge room floor, her faded pink tutu fluttering gracefully around her small body and her jet black hair swishing against her cheeks. She felt the close by fire beating on her pale legs as she moved each foot in sequence, step by step. She tried to focus her eyes as the room swirled past her. Smudges of the white couch, cream walls with nameless photographs and the arch way leading into the kitchen._

_And then there are her parents. Mr Collins, and Mrs Collins, sitting upon the leather cushion with smiles painted onto their faces. The smiles never faded, no matter how many times they passed Cora's sight as she twirled. That's how it was all the time. She would do whatever they wanted to please them. To see their smiling faces was all the reward she needed. Starting to lose her balance, she came to a subtle stop with a giggle, her parents clapping fondly._

_"Well done dear!" Mrs Collins smiled sweetly, slowly sitting up and catching Cora before she could fall, her arms wrapping around her in a warm caress._

"They had my life planned out for me," Cora sniffed, rubbing her nose as her weary eyes scanned over the water. "I was their perfect daughter..." she muttered, slightly shrugging. Atom leaned forward, too intrigued to say anything. She took a deep breath, clenching her hands. "Then came the first day of school," she whispered. "That's when I met..._her_."

_Metro City Area School. The best of the best, for the best of the best. So, being the wealthy people they were, Cora's parents were more than delighted to send her there, for the best education she could have. Cora shrunk her shoulders down as she approached the massive building, feeling rather insignificant compared to the towering walls. Kids of all ages were talking around the outside, laughing or flipping out mobile phones. Her mother placed a hand softly on her shoulder, reassuring her._

_"How do you like it so far?" she asked in her sweet tone, kneeling down to the child's level. Cora stroked her bag strap, eyes glued to the ground. She was the one who had wanted to go to public school for the soul purpose to finally meet some other kids. Her parents had previously home schooled her, barely ever letting her out of their sight. But with much persistence, they finally agreed to let her into the life of a normal seven year old._

_"It's very big," she muttered. Mrs Collins smiled warmly, lifting her chin to hers._

_"But you know you need to go, so you can become one of those great scientists, don't you?" Cora pulled a face, but nodded anyway. _

_She wasn't overly sure of what she wanted to be in life, but if her parents said that being a scientist was good, then why bother complaining?_

_Smiling, she gave her mom a hug. "Good bye mommy!" she grinned. Her father chuckled, patting her on the shoulder. _

_"You work hard, okay?"_

_"Sure thing." She nodded, walking to the front doors._

_"Stay out of trouble!" she heard her mother call._

_"I will!" she replied, her small flats clicking on the clean pavement. _

_"Don't talk to strangers!" she heard her farther behind her. Rolling her eyes, she smiled and answered._

_"Okay Dad!" _

_"And have fun!" Mrs Collins yelled across the yard._

_"But safe fun!" Mr Collins stated after. _

_Cora waved back to them before turning and focusing back on the path ahead of her. Around three long stairways were there to get to the entrance, the sides littered with children and some vegetation. She heard the car in which she came from hum to life and speed off down the road as she began to climb the first steps. Her parents were always like that when leaving her on her own (which barely happened anyway). It was like she was nothing more than a china doll, or an extremely fragile glass ornament. No matter what she was doing, they were always there, looking out for her and reminding her how to do things and what she couldn't do. But she liked it that way. It made her feel safe. _

_Adjusting the straps on her shoulders, Cora proceeded forward to the very front of the school yard, near the many double doors leading into the wide hall. But just as she was about to enter, her ears pricked up at a voice._

_"Psst..." she darted her head around. Who would be calling for her? She barely knew any of the other kids... _

_"Psst!" she flicked her head towards a group of three teenagers, staring at her. There was an older girl, maybe fifteen, with long amber hair with purple streaks hanging in it, with dark brown eyes, almost black. Tugging at her black leather jacket, she nodded to her. "Over here." She ordered. After examining the other girls around her- one with choppy pink hair with white streaks and green eyes, and the other with shaved black hair with crystal blue eyes- she slowly walked up to them. The amber haired one snickered to them before speaking again. "You gotta name?"_

_"C-Cora..." the small girl replied, frowning at the girl's spiky jackets and ripped jeans._

_"Were those your parents?" the pink haired girl asked in a slightly snobby tone. Cora stared at her for a while before responding. _

_"Yes, they were." They all shared a snicker before straightening up. The first girl put her hand out._

_"The name's Lizzi," she said with a smile. Cora politely went to shake it, only for her to press her clenched fist up against hers instead. Cora raised an eyebrow, but looked as the others introduced themselves._

_"Finn," the shaved haired one stated boldly. "And she's Amy." She said, shooting her thumb towards the pink girl's direction._

_"Rocket," she hissed instead. Cora smiled. They shared a nod between them before Lizzi leaned in close._

_"Are you familiar with the word 'suffocating'?" she whispered. Cora reeled back a bit, a confused look on her face. _

_"Suffocating?" she asked. _

_"Yes, suffocating," Lizzi said, pulling back._

_"What does it mean?" _

_"It means that someone isn't giving you enough space..." Rocket mumbled, placing a hand on her hip. Cora frowned deeply._

_"Why should I have to know this?"_

_"Because your parents are." _

_"Are what?"_

_"Suffocating you!" Lizzi face palmed. Cora shrunk down a bit, embarrassed for not catching on quick enough. But her head then snapped up._

_"What? They're not suffocating me!" she defended. Rocket and Finn snickered while Lizzi just kept a stern stare on the girl._

_"Do they let you out the house often?" Cora reeled back, thinking._

_"...No..." she answered meekly._

_"Do they give you a safety lesson every five minutes?"_

_"...Maybe..." _

_"And do they have problems with you making your own decisions?" the small girl stomped her foot on the ground in protest._

_"Why do you care?!" she pouted. The teen knelt to the ground, looking her right in the eyes. There was something about her eyes...they stared her down, capturing all of her attention. They were like rings of oily paint, gradually getting darker and darker until they formed small_ _beads of pure blackness. Feeling defenseless against her, Cora slumped a little._

_"I care because I was in the same position," she told. "I need your help, and you need mine, by the looks of things." She stuttered on her words._

_"M-my help? Why would you need my help?" she asked. Lizzi's warm smile returned as she stood up straight. With an out-stretched arm she roughly twisted Cora around and examined her bag pack._

_"Hey!" she yelped. "What are you doing?"_

_"Reading your address..." she mumbled, flipping out a white tag. After she was done, Lizzi whispered into Cora's ear. "I'll meet you tonight, outside your house. I'll explain everything then." Cora sent her a look, but slowly nodded._

_"O-ok..." she quivered. _

_"Great!" Lizzi grinned with her friends. Suddenly a loud bell rang, telling everyone that it was time for the first lesson. Finn, Rocket and Lizzi slowly made their way into the crowd, leaving Cora to stand there and wonder what to do. "Oh!" Finn called, looking back. "And welcome to Metro City Area School!"_

_**~O~**_

_Cora lay in her bed, her arms flung over her head. The day had been the most eventful in her life, filled with excitement and new experiences. But even so, her mind was still focused only on Lizzi, and what she had said. She found herself unable to sleep because of it. She guessed that maybe that was the idea._

_Suffocating? She thought to herself. What did she mean? Her parents loved her! That's the only reason __why they were so cautious!_

_But her thoughts were corrupted by a noise from outside her window. Throwing the velvet pink quilts __from her body, she ran across the large room and pressed her nose gainst the glass._

_**THOCK!**_

_With a yelp she pulled back as a rock slammed against it. Frowning, she opened it up and stuck her __head out. Sure enough, there was Lizzi, standing in the green patch that was her garden at the side of __the house. She was wearing the same cloths as before- a black leather jacket with deep blue jeans __with the knees ripped out. She grinned, waving her hand over her head. "Cora!" she addressed. "Are __your parents asleep?" Cora gave a sure nod. Lizzi smiled. "Come down here!"_

_"Okay!" she called, running back across her room. Quickly darting down the stairs and out her front __door, she skipped around the corner of the house until the grass met her feet. The night air enveloped __her in coldness, tussling at her baby pink night shirt and pants and her long flowing black hair. Lizzi __smiled at her from sitting cross-legged in the center of the yard. Cora softly leapt over to her, almost __performing a front flip as she tumbled onto her knees._

_"Nice entrance, loser," she laughed. Cora pouted, slightly offended, rolling into a sitting position like __her._

_"What do you wanna tell me?" she asked. Lizzi's face suddenly became focused as she leaned in more._

_"I want to help you." Cora reeled back._

_"Help me?"_

_"Yes," Lizzi told, her eyes flaring. "You may not know it Cora, but you're in a trap."_

_"Trap?" she quivered. _

_"Yes, a trap. Your parents are using you." A slight shock over came the small girl. But a fire built up __inside her._

_"No they're not! You're a liar!"_

_"Cora," Lizzi hissed. "Look at yourself. You follow everything they say, and do anything they tell you. __They don't let you out of their sight, and you barely have any friends because they keep you locked up __inside all the time." Cora stared at her for a long time, registering everything that she had said to her._

_Could this be true? Could her perfect world just be a massive trap? A trap that was inescapable? She __frowned in confusion, squeezing her knees to her chest._

_"What do I do then?" she asked quietly. The teen smiled, lifting her chin up._

_"Don't look so glum!" she laughed. "I'm here to help you. You control your own life. YOU control where_

_you go." Lizzi thumped her fist against her heart. "We are fighters! You with me?" Cora grinned, and __nodded._

_She had no idea she had just agreed to the death of her childhood. _

_**~O~**_

_"Are you sure about this?" the small girl asked, scratching her buzz-cut hair. Finn snorted a laugh._

_"Don't tell me your bailing on us!" Cora sent her a scowl._

_"Out of all the jobs you've sent me to do, have I ever let out on one?" she asked in a vicious tone. Lizzi __smiled, narrowing her eyes as she turned her head back down to the discount store they were raiding._

_On the roof, that is. Cora had been sent regularly to be the decoy or woman in action for many heists __with Lizzi, Rocket and Finn. They targeted the back-street stores- ones that didn't have high security __like the main ones in the Metro City Shopping Square in the center of the town. She had no problem __doing the certain jobs they sent her to do. It made her feel independent, and it was the least __she could do to thank Lizzi for all she's done for her._

_"Don't get off topic. Now, we need two drums of petrol, kay?" Cora frowned, twisting to her._

_"Petrol?" she asked slowly, tugging at her ripped jeans and layered shirts._

_"This is the only store that sells pure petrol," Rocket said, flipping onto her stomach. "Other stores __won't sell it, so you're gonna nab this one."_

_"Just me?" she asked. Lizzi smiled, patting her on the back._

_"This is the test, little dude!" she said with a bold voice. Cora's eyes lit up._

_"You mean...?"_

_"Yep!" she grinned, kneeling down. "You do this last job right, and I'll tell you the big secret," she told, __leaning on to her face. Cora stared up to her eyes, a smile plastered on her face. "Trust me," Lizzi said. __"It's a real treat."_

_With a nod, she leapt off the roof onto a dumpster, ready to do what she did best._

_**~O~**_

_Cora winced as her Dad slammed his paper on the table, his firm eyes shooting up to hers. "Where __have you BEEN?" he hissed. Cora rolled her eyes, folding her arms over her chest. Her mother then __came into the room, looking rather frazzled with watery eyes._

_"Nowhere, Dad..." she muttered, starting to walk up to the stairs. He quickly got out of his chair, __striding over and grabbing her shoulder. Cora quickly spun out of his grasp, facing him. "Dad! I'm __fine!"_

_"No you're not," he growled. "Just in this past month, you've cut your hair without permission, you've __destroyed your room-"_

_"Not destroyed!" she urged, "Just making it suit me!"_

_"You are too young to make your own decisions, Caroline!" _

_"My name is CORA!" she shouted, stamping her foot on the ground. "And I AM old enough to make my __own decisions!" Mr Collins was fuming._

_"How dare you speak to your father that way?" he snapped. "You are seven years old, Cora!"_

_"That doesn't mean anything!"_

_"It means," he said, trying to lower his tone, "that we are still here to look after you." Cora's breathing __got stronger, shaking her head._

_Why didn't they trust her? Why couldn't they see that she was as good as any adult? That she could __run her own life? Why wouldn't they just listen to her?!_

_"You know nothing about me! You don't respect me, or trust me!" she screamed._

_"GO TO YOUR ROOM!" Mr Collins bellowed. Cora scowled at him, standing her ground. But in a growl __of defeat, she darted up the stairs and into her room, slamming the door behind her. She stomped __over to her desk, picking up a portrait of her family. With a small grunt she flung it at her wall, __watching as it shattered into a million pieces. Satisfied with her doings, she collapsed on her ripped __bed, staring at the ceiling._

_What could she do? To them she was just a little girl, still needing help finding her dolls. But she __wasn't! If only they saw what she did almost every day with Lizzi and the others! Lizzi was a better __parent then them! She taught her that she could do what she wanted if she put her mind to it! She __taught her that no-one could tell her what to do, and that she was in her own power to choose where __she would go and who she would be._

_Cora's eyes snapped over to the hot pink phone. Her mind scanned back to the secret Lizzi had told her __after she had successfully stole those petrol drums. It was a deal, one she could agree to any time._

_With a shaky hand, she reached out and lifted it from its cradle. She pressed carefully on the speed __dial, and waited for the tone._

_**BEEP, BEEP...BEEP, BEEP...**_

_**CLICK.**_

_"Hello?" came the sleepy voice of Lizzi. Cora bit her lip, not saying anything first off. "Hello?" she asked __again, becoming irritated. "Cora, if that's you, then would you hurry up and answer already?"_

_"Sorry," she whispered. She heard a loud sigh from the other end. _

_"What do you want?" she asked, her tone dying down._

_"I..." she took a deep breath, running all her thoughts over in her head again. Could she really do this? __Could she? "Of course I could..." she muttered under her breath._

_"What?" Lizzi asked, over hearing her mumble. Cora didn't say anything for a long while, scanning her __eyes over her scarred quilt._

_"I want to agree to the deal," she finally got out. Even though Lizzi didn't respond, she could tell she __was smiling. With another deep breath, she finished up._

_"I want to run away to the Surface." _

Cora wiped her eyes, taking deep breaths. Her feet shuffled, crunching on the rocks and mud. Atom looked to her, his glassy eyes filled with curiousness. "Guess I sound like a pretty stupid girl, huh?"

"No," Atom answered softly. Cora slowly lifted her head to him, resting her chin on the palm of her hand. The boy stared at her for a long while before saying anything. "Everybody makes mistakes." He shrugged lightly.

Cora sniffled, rubbing her nose. "And how would you know?" she asked. Atom looked out to the lake, a thinking expression on his face.

"I just know," he smiled. Frowning, the teenager sighed, looking back to the ground.

"I wish I had known that..." she whispered. "Lizzi was special to me. She was like the greatest parent I never had. She believed in me." She took a moment to take a breath. "Guess it didn't matter what she thought," she hissed, a knew tone to her voice. "It was all a lie anyway..."

_Cora never felt so sick in her life. Her stomach was doing cartwheels inside her, and she flinched at any sound. Lizzi rolled her eyes as the tiny girl shuffled her feet and stroke her black hair._

_"Stop your shuffling," she sneered, nudging her shoulder. Cora looked to her and tried to straighten up, broadening her shoulders. "E should be here any second..."_

_E was their driver that was supposed to be coming that night to pick them up. Lizzi had told Cora to climb out her window at around midnight and wait with her out the side of her house until the car showed up. As the two stood there in the cold night, Cora's mind fled to the others in Lizzi's gang. Lizzi hadn't mentioned if Rocket or Finn were going to be with them on the ride from Metro City to the Surface. But she was sure that she had told them where they were going...I mean, they were all good friends, right?_

_Rubbing her shoulders from the cold, her mind switched from the gang to the Surface. What would it be like there? She thought to herself. Had Lizzi ever been? The only thing she knew about the Surface was that it was a land of junk. Yet that was what her parents told her...Lizzi told her it was a land of adventure and new beginnings. According to her, there were grand cities and sweet old towns, and the people there were always nice and didn't make expectations about people. It seemed the Surface was the perfect home for her._

_She glanced up to Lizzi, who's stern face scanned the silent roads. Cora's house was right on the corner of the road right in the center of the patterned out houses and yards. A large patch of grass was at the side of the house, leaving a nice resting place for the two while they waited. Tired of the silence, Cora started up a conversation. _

_"Have you ever been to the Surface?" she asked. Lizzi took a deep breath, shooting her a smile._

_"Yep!" she grinned. Cora's eyes lit up. _

_"Really?" _

_"Uh-huh," she nodded. "There's a service station near the out skirts of the Centre Globe. That's where we'll be stopping."_

_"Centre Globe?" Cora asked, perking her head up._

_"Well, for every section of the Surface, there's a different name. The Centre Globe is what they call the shadowed bit directly under Metro City. We'll be stopping at a petrol station there." The small girl nodded, but frowned soon after._

_"But...weren't those petrol drums I stole be used? We could save the stop..." Lizzi chuckled._

_"Eagar to get away, are we?" Cora managed a small smile. To be honest, she had no idea what she was doing. But she decided if she ever missed home, she could come back...right? _

_"We're not using the petrol drums until we get to real hard ground. There's a stretch of the Waste Lands we have to get past. Really barren piece of crap..." Cora giggled, smiling for the first time that night. "Anyway, once we pass that we're on a sure streak to Sunset City!"_

_"Sunset City?"_

_"Oh, you don't know the half of it!" Lizzi performed a large gesture, a grin on her face. "It's far better than Metro City! The robots there are not that 'fancy' crap, they're good old rusty bots- the ones you can trust! And the betting, and money, and the hotel suites!" she laughed. Cora tried to laugh with her, but inside she felt a rock sink down._

_Sunset City? Hotels, gambling, bets? It sounded like the worst place to put a kid in... I won't stay for long, she told herself firmly. I'll let my parents worry for a bit, then return. Then hopefully they'll treat me better, and everything can go back to normal-_

_**BEEP! BEEP!**_

_Her thoughts were corrupted by a loud horn. Soon a rusty looking hover car came squealing around the corner with a wobbly serve. As it screeched to a stop in front of them, she noted the scarred sliver coating and cracked windows with a tilted number plate. Inside was an older teenager, maybe seventeen or eighteen, with white blonde hair drooping over his eyes and wearing a black hoodie. The front window was littered with hanging ornaments ranging from skulls to lightning bolts. The man kicked open his door, a few beer bottles falling out and rolling on the cement. With a grunt he pulled himself out of the car, stumbling onto the sidewalk. _

_Cora shrunk down at the sight of him- beer bottle in hand and a cigarette stuck in his mouth. E slumbered over to them, almost collapsing on Lizzi._

_"Lizzi!" he blurred out, waving his beer in the air. "You devil! I thought I'd never see you again!" Lizzi rolled her eyes, pushing him away._

_"E, you're DRUNK. You said you were ready to drive!"_

_"I am ready babe!" he laughed, taking a puff of smoke. Cora edged a little closer to the house, fear filled in her eyes. She had never been around a drunk before, and the way he was acting was scaring her. _

_"Lizzi..." she called quietly. The teen shot her head towards her._

_"Shut it," she said. " If you're scared by him then you might as well not go. Almost everyone is like that on the Surface, so toughen up." Cora took a deep breath, nodding and straightening up. E slumbered over to the side of the house, taking his cigarette out and flicking it into the grass. Not bothering to stomp on it, he walked back over to Lizzi, who had started to pack the car with her bags._

_"Where're we headin' again?" he slurred. _

_"The Surface, moron." She growled, slamming the boot. E grinned, nodding._

_"Ahhh yeah! It's coming back..." Lizzi smiled, darting forward and snatching the beer from his hand. Taking a slurp, her face scrunched up._

_"Is that off or something?" she coughed. E grabbed it back, drinking some himself._

_"Well brewed..." he grinned. Cora rubbed her shoulder, watching her bag get thrown in the back. Suddenly her thoughts were invaded by a smell._

_A burning smell..._

_With a gasp she twirled around to see where E's cigarette had been thrown. A patch of grass was now burning away, turning to black ash in front of her eyes. It was starting to climb to the walls..._

_"Lizzi!" she screeched. Both the teenagers spun around to her. As soon as the flame met their eyes, E raced into action._

_"E, you are an IDIOT!" Lizzi screamed, stomping her foot on the ground. The boy laughed, spinning and walking backwards for a few seconds._

_"You're the one who called for me!" he snickered. Cora just took a few steps from the small fire, starting to walk over to Lizzi. E smiled at her. "Don't worry love! I'll save the day!" he slumped a little, taking a swing of his beer._

_"Yeah, well just hurry up." Lizzi snapped. "I don't want to attract any attention..." E chuckled drunkenly, facing the small flame with a cocky smile._

_Then, with an arch of his arm, he threw the beer bottle right into the fire._

_"NO!" Cora screamed, taking a staggering step forward. But it was too late. In an outburst of heat and flames, the fire exploded into a hot pit of burning rubble, climbing up the house wall. E was thrown onto the bonnet of his car with a grunt. Lizzi's eyes grew wider than ever before._

_"E..." she quivered. "What...have...you...done...?"_

_Cora couldn't move. Her legs just froze into place. All she could hear was the crackling of the wooden frame being burnt to the ground. E wiped his face over with dreariness, looking at the fire that was arousing._

_"Ooo..." he cooed. "That's not good..."_

_"Water!" Lizzi screeched, flipping the boot open and madly scanning through the bags. "We need water!"_

_"MOMMY!" Cora immediately burst into tears, taking a step towards her house. "DAD!"_

_"Shut up, Cora!" Lizzi hissed, "We don't want to wake the whole neighborhood!" Cora didn't listen to anything she had to say, running up close to the flames._

_"Whoa, dude!" E went to grab her, but Lizzi held out her arm._

_"NO! Leave her..." she muttered, slamming the boot. The faint sounds of sirens sounded from across the city, hitting her ears like a bullet. "Shit!" she cursed, slamming her fist on the car roof. "Fire Brigade. Lets get out of here..."_

_Cora felt her skin over heat as the fire grew higher and higher, clinging onto the walls and traveling inside. Her parents were on the second floor, still sound asleep. "MOM! DAD! WAKE UP!" she screamed at the top of her lungs. She didn't want to run away. She'd do anything to see them run out of the door right now. More tears flooded onto her cheeks as she pleaded in her mind. I won't steal...I won't disobey...I'll be your perfect little girl again...just please, please make it out..._

_She remained idle as the fire truck came rushing around the corner. Her head turned slightly as three men climbed out with masks over their faces. Lizzi and E's car wasn't there. _

"_CORA!"_

_The tiny girl flicked her head to the burning house. It used to be quite grand, with its' cream wood walls matching the picket fence, and the three stories of time and brilliance._

_Now all used to feed the monster, eating away at the wood with its flames._

_Then she saw it._

_Two pairs of hands, banging their fists on the window of the second story. She recognized them straight away._

"_Mummy? Daddy!"_

_The fire man placed a hand on the girls shoulder as they both watched three enter the building. Cora wasn't in distress, she knew those super heroes in yellow coats could save them._

_But the pounding on the glass continued. _

_A face appeared, black soot covering it, mixing in with the drench ness of the tears. She gasped. "Mummy!" Then dear farther showed, his glasses cracked and sizzled. Cora stepped forward, but the large gloved hand tightened. She looked up to him. He sadly shook his head. Tears started to form on her eyes and she looked back to her parents. They kept on pounding on the glass, looking at their little girl from the hell that was burning._

_The three fire men suddenly escaped from the house, coughing and spluttering. "WHAT ARE YOU DOING?!" she screamed. "THEY'RE STILL IN THERE! WHAT ARE YOU DOING?!" With a final look to her parents, she made out the mouthed words before the entire house came crashing down._

'_We love you'… _

Cora stared out to the glistening lake, letting the tears running down her face. It was the piece of her past that kept coming back. The part that she wished had never happened.

_If I had never agreed to that deal_, she thought bitterly. _If_ _I had listened to my parents, then they might still be alive right now. Then everything might still be normal._

With a shaky breath in, she wiped her eyes and glanced to Atom. He just stared at her, his face pulled into one of empathy towards her. "I'd never felt...so..."

"Scared?" Atom finished. She shook her head, brow creasing.

"Guilty. _Guilty_. It all could have been prevented. _I_ could have prevented it..." Atom shuffled his legs, sitting a little closer to her.

"Cora," he addressed, causing her to lift her chin to him. He looked her right in the eyes, capturing all her attention. "It was not your fault." More tears streamed onto her face as she squeezed her eyes shut, turning away. "It was NOT your fault," Atom repeated. Cora sniffled, wiping her nose.

"You can say what you want..." she murmured, a small scoff of a laugh escaping her mouth. "But there's no way a robot could convince me of that. Not even I can convince me of that..." Atom opened his mouth as if to say something, but closed it shortly after. A long silence passed over.

"They put me into the Metro City Orphanage," she said after a while. "I had never felt so useless...so alone...I barely moved from the window still..."

"What happened to Lizzi?" Atom asked. Cora sighed, cradling her head for a bit.

"She called me. She offered to keep the deal."

"And you agreed?" he asked, slight shock in his voice.

"I had nothing left, Atom," she said with a shrug. "I was alone, broken...Lizzi's deal was the only sign of a fresh start I had." The two both looked over the water as a small wind picked up, making small ripples of water wash down at their feet. "So, after however long I waited, I climbed out the window and we fled to the Surface."

_She stared out the car window, eyes scanning over the dark lands they were passing. With a small breath she glanced to the dash board at the front, which read 1:56am. Sighing, Cora pressed her back against the worn out leather seat, dull eyes focusing on nothing in particular. Ahead of them was nothing but piles of junk, illuminated by the cracked head lights as they zoomed along the land. She wasn't excited about where she was. She wasn't sad. She wasn't...anything. She didn't feel anything. All she could do, was breath. Live. And have that small hope that life was going to get better._

_"Pull over here..." she heard Lizzi order as a lit up service station came into view. E nodded, turning the wheel into one of the pump lanes. The station had barely anyone walking around inside, only having a lanky blonde woman leaning over the counter, looking like she'd rather be somewhere else. A click of a door rose as E leapt from his seat, flicking his cigarette onto the pavement. Cora winced, looking away from the small ashes that rose up into the air. To see that would be far too much for her..._

_"Cora," she heard Lizzi call quietly. She slowly lifted her head up to the teenager with dreary eyes. Lizzi gave her a smile, nudging her head to the station. "Could you nab us some snacks? A chocolate bar?" Cora stared at her for a long while, not saying anything. Lizzi leaned more over the seat. "Don't worry- this is the Surface. Barely any security is around." The girl still stared at her, not making a move. "Please?"_

_With an inhale through her nose, Cora slowly pulled the handle on her door and slid her legs out. "Thanks!" Lizzi beamed, getting comfortable once again. Cora didn't respond, dragging herself through the double doors and into the clean, cool service station. An ice cream display was along the wall with racks of magazines, chips, chocolates and sodas. But something caught her attention. A scruffy looking boy was on his hands and knees, scanning under the displays as if looking for something. His hair was black, a tinge of blue in it, and brushed over his eyes. He wore an oversized leather jacket that tumbled over his knees, along with a pair of ripped jeans. _

_"Anything...?" she heard him mutter, stretching his arm across the floor. Stepping past him, she slumbered over to the chocolate bar stand. Grabbing two bars, she stared at them for a long time. _

_"Wonder if these would do..." she murmured to herself. Wiping her face over she turned back to Lizzi and E._

_The car was gone._

_"No..." she whispered to herself. "No..." she shook her head, the chocolate bars dropping to the floor. They left me...the thought screamed in her head. They left me...how could they have left me? _

_"NO!" she screamed, kicking the chocolate stand. The small boy took a startled glance up, edging away. Cora didn't notice him, her sight being blocked by tears. With a cry she burst out of the station, clenching her fists and kicking up old cans and bottles. She felt her back hit the side of the small building as she slid down to the ground, burying her head in her knees. _

_Why was this happening to her? She should be at home right now! She should be with her parents! Why did she agree to come here? Why did she agree to trust Lizzi again? Why? Why did life HATE her so much?!_

_Exploding in tears, the small girl stayed there, knees pulled to her chest. She didn't know how long it was. She didn't know how long she stayed there, crying her heart out. She barely even realized the small tapping on her shoulder..._

_With a gasp she shot her head up. There, looking at her with curiosity etched on his face, was the scruffy looking boy. He cocked his head to the side, frowning at her. Cora frowned as well, staring at him. Lifting her hand to wipe some tears from her face, she took a breath in._

_"Why are you crying?" he asked, squatting down to her. Cora stuck out her lips, looking away._

_"I don't have anywhere to go..." she whispered. The boy smiled._

_"Sure you do!" he beamed. Cora looked at him, a look of fake hope in her eyes._

_"No, I don't." She said surely, making the boy snicker. He stood up, gesturing to himself._

_"I'm Zane," he grinned, thumbing his chest. _

_"C-Cora..." she muttered, sniffing her nose. Zane smiled, reaching his hand out. Cora stared at it for a while, before locking onto his arm. Zane pulled her up with a small grunt._

_"Cora, huh? Well, Cora, I know the perfect place for you!" Cora shot her head up to him with wide eyes._

_"Really?" she asked. He nodded._

_"Yep!"_

_"Are there kids there?" he snorted._

_"Only a couple hundred! And there's candy floss, and rides, and a warm bed for you!" Cora grinned, nodding._

_"I'll go with you then! Where is it?" she asked. Zane smiled._

_"Everywhere," he answered. Cora frowned at him, not catching on. Zane just smiled. "It's a circus!"_

Atom looked at Cora, who was finally starting to smile at her memories. "So...you and Zane have known each other since...forever, really," he said. Cora nodded, almost all of her tears gone.

"I have to get back to the circus," she whispered. Atom wondered whether she was talking to herself or to him. "That circus if my life. Without it I would probably be dead..." she smiled a bit, looking to him. "When life hasn't been kind to you, you just...you hold onto those things that mean the world to you..." Atom found himself frowning, his mind wondering.

"I don't think..." Cora lifted her head to him. "I don't think I have that..."

"A will to live?" Cora asked. "You're not supposed to. You're a robot."

"Could you _maybe_ stop bringing up that word?" he asked. Cora looked at him for a while, but smiled and looked over the water instead.

"Sorry..." she muttered. Atom raised an eyebrow, not expecting the apology. "Sometimes I wished I was a robot," she smiled, making Atom's eyes bulge. "I know it sounds like a stupid wish," she said, noticing his shocked expression, "But I would rather have the weight off my shoulders. Having a purpose instead of trying to find who I was. Being able to delete memories, and not have any emotions..." Atom shuffled in the mud, obviously uncomfortable with what she was saying. Noticing the slightly offended expression, she quickly blurted, "I don't mean robots like you, though!" she said quickly. "I mean like, other rusty old robots that don't have the stuff that you have! I mean-"

"Cora," Atom said. The teen looked up to him, biting her lip. But her face fell when she saw that he was laughing. "I get it," he snickered, amused by her frazzled behavior. Cora punched him softly on the shoulder, rolling her eyes with a smile.

She felt fully refreshed after getting that all out, to tell her past. To release her darkest shadows. Far better than shouting out to the sky, or keeping it locked inside her. Good to share her secrets with a friend.

_WAIT. Did I seriously just call a robot my friend?_ She frowned a tad at her thoughts. But she glanced to Atom, seeing him smiling over the water, dipping his boots in the small puddles that were forming around the shore. No matter how she told herself that he was annoying, she truly enjoyed his company. She noticed that when he was in trouble, frozen or not working properly, she felt scared for him. Not because they might lose a fortune, but scared that she'd loose a friend.

There it was again! Calling Atom, a _robot_, her friend. She ended up smiling despite her thoughts, glancing to him again. He smiled back at her, a sort of glistening in his eyes. She tried to sort out the feelings in her stomach, but it all came to one thing...

She was friends with a robot.

"You wanna know another cool thing about robots?" she heard Atom ask, his voice slicing through her thoughts. She frowned at the boy, not liking that slight devilish look to him.

"Nope," she muttered, watching him jump to his feet. "But go ahead, tell me something else that makes humans look pathetic," she smiled. Atom snickered, looking out to the water.

"The boat is right over there..." she heard him murmur. With a stretch of her legs she climbed to her feet, dusting off her hoodie and wiping the last bit of moisture from her face. She came up next to Atom, placing a hand on her hip.

"So? What is so great about robots?"

"Oh, not _all_ robots..." Atom smiled. He thumbed his chest. "Just this one in particular." Cora let out a laugh, rolling her eyes.

"Cos you're not full of yourself at all..." she said sarcastically. He shrugged meekly, looking back to the glossy lake once again.

"Okay, I need to know one thing...can you swim?" he asked.

"...What?"

"Can you swim?" Cora took a few steps from him, a look of deep confusion across her face.

"Y-yes..." she answered unsurely. Atom nodded, a thinking expression on his face. Cora eyed him. "_Why_?" she asked.

"Uhhh, no reason..." he mumbled, circling back so he was behind her. "Just keep looking out to the water," he ordered. Cora frowned, but did as he asked, looking out the lake. Scarlet Lakes was still up in lights, and seemed further away than ever. _How can we ever make there? It would take AGES to walk all the way around the lake! And we still have to get to the train, and through Green Fields! And then Sparks...and who knows, the circus could be somewhere else already!_

Sighing, her mind was diverted to Atom. "You ready?" he asked. She rolled her eyes, wanting this guessing game to be over. She wasn't in the mood for surprises...

"Yeah, whateve-"

Suddenly, the breath was knocked out of her. Two hands grabbed around her shoulders, and then...

She was lifted off the ground.

"OH MY GOD!" was all she could scream out as the water suddenly came rushing below her, the wind hitting her like a brick wall. Shock filled her body as she was paralyzed for a second, until the feeling returned to her body. She waved her arms everywhere, searching for something to grab onto. Her fingers locked around the neck of a baggy jumper while her legs kicked franticly.

"Cora! Stop moving!" came the annoyed yell from...Atom. With a gasp she felt the wind against her face cease and someone twirl her body around. With a heaving chest she came face to face with him. She quickly pulled him close, wrapping her arms around his shoulders and lifting her legs to her chest.

"Oh my god! Oh my god! Oh my god!" she gasped out as she glanced around her. A few meters away was where she previously was standing. But instead of the shore being underneath her, there was nothing but still water, black and seemingly bottomless. She took another couple deep breaths as she noticed Atom's feet...

Flames.

That's all she saw.

"YOU'RE ON FIRE!" she screamed, panicking again.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa!" he comforted, grabbing her shoulders and pulling her off him. "I'm not, Cora. This is one of the things I can do now! I can fly!" Cora just stared at him, unable to say anything at first. Slowly, she lowered her legs back down so they dangled aimlessly in the air, just trickling over the water.

_...I'm hovering...in the middle of a lake..._

"How on earth are you doing this?!" she scoffed, shaking hands scrunching his jumper for comfort.

"Well, you know that fire from when I fell from that spring trap?" he asked in an excited voice.

"Y-y-yes," she answered, wide eyes scanning her surroundings.

"Well, I kinda practiced, and now look! I'm flying!"

Suddenly one of his rocket boots glitched out, making them drop a little. Cora screamed, clinging onto Atom as he adjusted the flames. Becoming leveled again, Cora slowly looked up to him with a scowl.

He hunched his shoulders.

"Uhhh, I still need some practice..."

"You're going to _drop me_!" Cora screeched, grip becoming tighter.

"I won't!" he told surely, starting to angle his legs and move more into the center of the lake.

Cora squeezed her eyes shut, fear gripping her as she felt the cold wind wrap around her. Her chest was thumping, her heart pounding against her ribs as if trying to escape. She stayed that way for a long while, making her body as small as possible and keeping her eyes closed. Until Atom wrapped his hands around hers.

"Cora, just look around." He whispered into her ear. She quickly shook her head.

"N-no. I don't want to fall." She said firmly.

"I won't drop you," he said. "I promise. Just look around..." Cora took a few deep breaths, shaking her head. "Cora," Atom addressed. Slowly, she finally lifted her head to him, eyes squinting a bit against the...light?

"Look..." he smiled. With a quick breath she outstretched her legs, lifting her head up and taking a look around.

"Whoa..."

They were in the direct center of the lake. The water below her was like a sea of diamonds, sparkling in the moonlight above them. The rays of pure white bathed down on her face, illuminating her skin, giving it an eerie glow. The air softly tussled her hair against her cheeks and swung her legs gingerly as the heat of Atom's rockets beat down on them. She turned her head to Scarlet Lakes.

It seemed closer than ever now.

The lights ranged from bright red, to yellow to white. She could see the docks at the shore, along with small houses and large banners. She was completely entranced, looking at the surreal scene for what felt like forever. Soon she glanced to Atom, a grin plastered onto her face. He smiled back.

"Told you," he smirked.

"This is...amazing!" she exclaimed. "I can't believe you can do this! It's just amazing!" she breathed. Atom nodded, smiling.

"I can't go very fast, but at least I can hover a bit." He grinned. Cora laughed in amusement, swaying her legs around in the air.

_This is unreal! How could this little robot be able to do so much? To think that we thought he would be useless when we found him..._

Suddenly her head snapped up to him in sudden realization. "The boat!" she gasped. Atom nodded, glancing across the lake.

"Yep," he muttered, angling his legs once more. Cora clung onto his neck again, but not because she was scared. She felt the air hit her face as they slowly started moving again, plastering her skin to her skull. She let out a long laugh into the night, Atom chuckling with her as they swiftly glided, flew, straight towards the boat.

* * *

><p>"WHAT DO YOU MEAN, LOST IT?!"<p>

Dr Oshay slammed his hands down on his desk in a fury of anger.

Detective Tawashi proceeded into the large office despite the aggravated doctor's behavior. He almost wanted to smile at the sight of the man- he hadn't seen him in almost a week, as his cases involving Tenma were piling up. He scanned over the pristine white lab coat that the doctor was almost always seen in. His small clouds of hair on the sides of his head had gotten greyer, but his face had stayed the same. A large nose planted in the center, along with two kind eyes, rimmed with hope. In such contrast to his old partner...

Oshay cleared his throat, sitting back down at his sleek blue desk. His personal assistant Yuri ceased tapping at her laptop, her short red hair brushing at her pale cheeks and powder blue eyes.

The office was a rather large one, with stretched out windows letting in plenty of light. Computers and desks filled up the space, along with messy trashcans, scrunched up papers and reports scattered along the smooth floor.

Tawashi confronted Oshay, his thick brow lining his eyelids in a scowl that barely ever left his face. "I'm afraid so, Oshay," he said in an emotionless tone. "Tenma is gone along with the robot, and the Metro City Police Department have decided to hunt both down." Oshay rubbed his temple for a moment, thoughts mixed in his head.

"When they find the robot, what have they voted to do with it?" it was then Tawashi smiled.

"Melt it down and completely wipe out its existence."

"WHAT?" the man blurted, rising from his seat once more.

"Detective, doesn't that seem a bit irrational?" Yuri asked from her seat.

"It would be irrational to let that thing wonder around the Surface!" Tawashi exclaimed, gesturing. "Who knows what havoc it's causing!"

It was true that Tawashi hated robots. No-one knows exactly why, but he's never had a house bot, never wanted any robotic assistance what so ever and barely even goes near any sort of machine- unless it was the one that brewed coffee. So, with that hatred in his mind, he was more than happy to hear that Mr Vendigo had agreed to do whatever it took to get rid of this robot a quickly as possible.

"That is absurd," Oshay mumbled. "You don't even know what the robot is like!"

"_Atomic_ robot, Dr Oshay," Tawashi snorted. "I think that's all the information we need." The doctor sighed wearily, wiping a hand over his face. Yuri rose from her desk, small shoes clicking as she walked over to the detective.

"Very nice of you to stop by, Mr Tawashi, but I think it's time for you and Mr Finnegan to leave." She told politely. Tawashi nodded, turning on his heels and walking back to the office door.

"Very well," he grumbled, walking out the office. Dug smiled at her before following after him. Oshay groaned, slumping back in his seat, resting his chin on his hand. Yuri looked to him, her face pulled into one of worry.

"It's just wrong..." he muttered. "Many of Tenma's creations have made wonderful advances to Metro City, sufficiently and technically. How do they know if this robot would be any different?"

Yuri took a deep breath, folding her hand behind her back. "I'm sorry doctor, but that's just how things work around here. Tenma's mental health wasn't at its greatest when the robot was created. You must understand their concern." Oshay huffed, eyes scanning across his desk.

"I suppose..." he murmured. "But I still find it wrong..."

"Perhaps you could fight for your view point when they find the robot." Yuri suggested, her tone lightening. Oshay nodded, lifting his head. "_If_ they find it..." she mumbled after. He smiled, spinning on his chair to look out to the city.

"They will." He said, watching the liveliness of the city. Looking out the tall, modern buildings usually made him calm, to see the daily proceedings of the floating world he helped create. To see the hover cars and smiling people, to know that they were safe, and he had a part in making sure of that. But one thing in his mind didn't flinch.

"And that is what scares me."


	9. Scarlet Lakes

_ZIIIP._

Eric grumbled, wiping a hand over his face as he pulled down the zipper of his tent, letting in the bright morning light. The rays hit his eyes like a bullet as he climbed out from the small sleeping space, his feet knocking past old tins and cans as he stood up, arching his back. With a yawn he rubbed his eyes, glancing around the camp site. A light fog had arose, drifting over the ground in puffs of blue cloud. The fire was burnt out and no-one else was up yet.

"GOOD MORNING!" he bellowed, laughing as he walked over to Cora, Zane and Atom's tent. He gave the frame a good rustle, and chuckled as tired groans came from inside. "Come on!" he grinned, flipping the tent entrance open. "Better off having an early start!"

Cora wiped her face over with her hand, scrunching her quilt over her head. "Five more hours..." she mumbled. Zane seemed just as annoyed, flinging his pillow over his ear and continued sleeping. Atom lifted himself up, squinting against the bleach light bathing down on his face. Eric smiled, walking over to the other tents.

"Why do we have to get up this early?" Zane whined. Cora slowly lifted her head up, glancing around. She stretched out an arm, grabbing a small digital clock beside her pillow. She let out a long sigh at the time.

6:30am

"This is no better than the circus..." she growled, collapsing back on the squishy mattress.

"I don't think I've ever had to get up this early..." Atom muttered, falling back into a sleeping position.

"You're lucky that you don't actually _need_ sleep," Zane pointed out, rubbing his eyes. Cora looked to him with a raised eyebrow.

"But sucks to have the advanced programming that still makes him just as tired." She mumbled back. Zane thought for a bit, then snorted.

"Ha! Sucks to be you..."

Atom groaned, rubbing his temple for a bit. Eric walked over to Lin's tent, glancing inside. She was sleeping face down into her pillow with numerous empty cans and bottles mixed in with cushions and thick quilts. "Lin?" he called. No movement. "Lin!" still nothing.

"Don't bother..." the man swung around to Zag, pulling on a black hoodie. He rubbed his nose, chuckling. "She's got a hangover. Rascal as well..." Eric frowned.

"_Rascal_?" he asked. Zag laughed harder, nodding.

"Yep!" Eric just smiled, shaking his head.

"Just you and me then," he muttered, walking over to the shore of the lake. Scarlet Lakes could no longer be seen, as the thick fog wafted all along the lake, floating above the dark water as it ripples along the shore.

"Why this early?" Zane was still complaining, not even considering moving from his spot.

"We have a lot of traveling to do...to get to Scarlet Lakes..." Cora muffled. Atom flung his arm over his head, closing his eyes.

"But last night..." he mumbled, not thinking. "I flew..." Zane chuckled a bit, but soon went silent.

"...What?"

Suddenly Cora and Atom sprung up, eyes wide. They looked to each other with a knowing look.

"The boat!"

They quickly ripped off their sheets and blankets, tripping out of the tent. Zane still laid there, staring at the ceiling.

"...What?"

Eric and Zag looked over to see the pair racing over to them, Cora quickly tugging on a pair of sneakers as she went. He beamed.

"Good to see a few up and running!" Cora screeched to a stop in front of him, her chest puffing as she flung her arms aimlessly.

"We-! The boat-! And then Atom-! He got the-!"

"Whoa, whoa, whoa!" Eric frowned as he placed a hand on her shoulder, calming her down. "What are you trying to tell us?" he asked slowly.

"She's trying to tell you that we won't need to walk as far anymore."

They all twisted in the mud to see Atom, smiling by the lake edge. In one raised hand was a slimy damp rope. Attached on the end of it, bobbing in the water, was none other than the wooden row boat. Eric's eyes practically popped out of his skull.

"No way!" he laughed, quickly hobbling over to him with a grin. Zag just stood there, dumbfounded. Eric sided to a stop in front of the small robot, sight swapping between him and his beloved rowboat. "How on earth did you get it?" he exclaimed. Cora smiled, pushing past Zag and walking up to them.

"Well, Atom can actually-"

"We found it washed up by the shore line, not that far away." Atom suddenly cut in. Cora blinked at him, frowning. He shrunk down at her glare, but continued. "W-we were up in the middle of the night and found it..." Eric just nodded, grabbing the rope and tugging the boat closer.

"Remarkable!" he beamed, giving the strong rim a pat. Cora just approached Atom, scowling.

"Why didn't you tell him you could fly?" she growled, keeping her voice low.

"I don't exactly want the whole world to know just yet, alright?" he murmured back, shuffling his boots on the ground. She stared at him for a while, but nodded. They looked over as Zane slumbered out of the tent, yawning and stretching. He sleepily stood by Zag as his eyes rested on the boat, clouds of blue fog bursting up as his legs brushed past. It was a full fifteen seconds until the image sunk into his mind.

"Boat..." he slurred. "Boat..." Atom and Cora shared a smirk. Zane suddenly gasped. "Boat!" he cried, running up and almost slipping on the muddy ground. Eric laughed good naturedly as the teen's wide eyes scanned over the object.

"How did-! It was-! And then the-!" he flung his arms around, looking at Cora and Atom smiling. He paused. "Did _you_ _two_ get it here?"

"Yep!" Atom grinned.

"I helped!" Cora boasted, trying to sneak in a bit of credit. Atom snorted, crossing his arms.

"Yeah, a _little_..."

"A little?" she scoffed.

"Uh-huh."

"I was the one who...pointed it out!"

"Yeah right! I spotted it!"

"Both of you can stop fighting," Eric interrupted, "and help me get the boat ready. Okay?" they looked at him for a while, but nodded.

In the next few minutes with the help of Atom's strength, the boat was bobbing in decently deep water with him and Eric inside. While Zag and Cora easily leapt over the rim, Zane had much more trouble, almost tripping over his sneakers and landing in the freezing water thanks to poorly tied shoelaces. But soon they were all in the floating structure while Eric stood on the side of it with a long oar in hand, giving them more speed as he scooped it low in the water as they slid along the rippling surface of the lake. It was a fantasizing sight to see the blanket of blue fluff floating above the water, and Atom had great pleasure in reaching out and trying to grab at the fog. Soon though, everyone's attention was on Eric as he started telling the tale of the forest.

"It was a dark, eerie night..." he said in a low menacing voice, arching his shoulders up like a vulture. "No-one barely made a sound, and all that could be heard was the sound of death, slowly approaching..." Zag rolled his eyes, snorting.

"Save the dramatics for when it matters, chief," he muttered, turning his head back to the lake. Eric dropped his posture, laughing.

"Alright, alright," he snickered. "It actually was just like any other night. A group of Surface Dwellers that were traveling to a small town decided to set up camp in this very forest," he explained, gesturing around him. "Well, one of them woke up by the fire in the middle of the night, and woke the others as well." Cora and Zane leaned forward in their seats and Atom slouched slightly, eyes focusing on the man with one hand dipped in the cold water.

"Well, when the others awoke, they were quite pissed off. 'ARGG! Why'd you wake me, boy?'" Eric slipped in a hilarious fake accent as the tale went on. "He told them that he heard something...something loud and rumbling. Well after doubting the boys sanity, they all started to hear it too. Like a thousand engines starting at once. They all slipped out of their sleeping bags and stood by the edge of the lake, staring up to where the noise was coming from. There, in the sky was none other than what they thought was a shooting star!"

The three's eyes widened in wonder. Zag just rubbed his nose from the cold, sticking his ear plugs in again. "Only, this shooting star...was headed straight for them. In a fury of fear, they scattered away behind the trees as it came crashing down in the center of the forest!"

"The star?" Zane asked. Eric grinned and nodded.

"Yeah!"

"Wait, in this forest?" Cora asked, pointing to the Hunters Camp." The man face palmed.

"Am I talking to a wall here?"

"Sorry." They mumbled.

"Continue," Atom said, adjusting on the seat. Eric nodded, face becoming wide and theatrical once more.

"After a while of hiding, the group set off, following the large ditch until they saw it...it was beautiful. A meteorite, but not like any other they'd seen! This one had this sort of glowing blue lodged in it. It was like a giant blue diamond, shining in the moonlight..." he sighed dreamily, plunging the oar into the body of water and scooping it out again. "It shone like scarlet. And that's why this town is called Scarlet Lakes, and why the rest of us have been living in that forest. Just searching for the power...the blue core that powered that asteroid..."

They all shared glances. "Cool," Zane smiled, throwing his arms behind his back. Atom was intrigued.

"Have you found any remains of it yet?" he asked. Eric shook his head sadly, his eyes clouded and distant.

"Nope. Not yet...but we will. Someday we'll come across it." He smiled, winking at him. Atom smiled back, looking back towards the streaming path the boat was headed in.

The fog was clearing up the more they glided through it, and soon enough the water way was clear for all to see the wondrous town they were approaching. Scarlet Lakes was a very county town, with many handmade stalls, rodeos and shifty people always wanting to trick you into buying something. Eric continued to give them warnings as the boat came closer to the docks that stretched all along the coast, holding anything from fishing ports to old motor boats. With a sharp wobble and a tap of the rim the boat hit the small wooden jetty, halting to a stop.

"Thanks for the ride, guys," Cora smiled, standing and clinging onto a tall post sticking out of the water. Eric nodded to her.

"Pleasure to have you all at our camp!" he beamed. Zag pulled the ear plugs from his head, looking up to them as they all climbed out and stepped on steady ground. Few people were along the rickety floor boards, either fishing or just slouching on the railing with a cigarette hanging out of their mouth. Cora had to agree that they looked like the shifty sort, with ragged jeans and sandals with colored ponchos.

"You come anytime you want," he reassured them. Zag just gave them a lazy wave before turning back to the water.

"We'll try and stop by some time," Cora promised, stretching her legs. He nodded.

"Alright then," he grunted, pulling the oar back, "I'm off."

The trio watched as the boat slowly descended back to the sea of fog, a stream of ripples following them as they went. Soon, they were out of sight.

"Nice people..." Zane smiled to Cora. She nodded, yawning.

"Still no need to wake us that early..."

"We've had to deal with worse."

"I know, but don't you think we kinda deserve a sleep in?"

"Tell that to Hamegg," Zane snickered. They all looked around them in a daze, none really sure of what to do.

"So...I guess we just start looking for a train station?" Cora suggested. They nodded, but Zane's head slowly turned to the town, eyes filled with interest. He took a whiff of the air.

"But before that," he grinned, patting his stomach, "something smells _good_..." Cora and Atom rolled their eyes as they followed the hungry teen along the jetty and into Scarlet Lakes.

The town was nothing but busy as the sun slowly climbed up into the sky, piercing through the watery clouds and letting in heat and rays of light. They had to push through crowds of people rather then walk, passing by old stalls trying to sell hot food, fruits, robot parts, shooting and fishing equipment and many other things that caught their eyes. Cora and Atom were set on asking where the train station was, but Zane was more interested on shopping, reaching out and examining just about everything up for sale. Soon they all came to a stop at a large act in the middle of the large dusty roads of people, showing two young people performing magic tricks for the public's entertainment.

Cora sighed, slumping against a rusty power line pole next to a bin, wiping her brow. Atom came to a stop next to her and Zane sat on the edge of the bin. "This place is a mad house!" she exclaimed, giving a tired look around. Everyone else passing by looked like they knew where they were going, easily pushing past people and approaching the right stores they needed.

"Oh, who cares about the train station?" Zane said, causing the two to snap their heads up to him. "We'll look for that later! Common, let's have some fun here! I already spotted a great place for breakfast," he smiled. Cora looked at him, eyes squinting against the bright light that bathed on her face.

"Well, he's gotta point," she shrugged, pushing off the pole. She smiled at him. "Lead the way to the food."

"YES!" Zane cheered, leaping off his seat and walking back towards the jetty. As they walked, they took their time to glance around at the colorful people. An old man at an antique store with wise old eyes, a three year old trying to bribe people to buy handmade necklaces with her huge longing eyes, a lanky woman grinning to passing customers and many more characters among the population of the town.

Soon they came to a stop at a sun-bathed cafe and ordered a pastry to share between them with some of the little money they had. They sat around an old white glass table at the edge of the dusty main crowd flow, chewing on the flaky treat. Atom of course didn't have anything, but didn't mind. It wasn't much, but it was enough to fill them up for the time being.

After the small stop, they decided to make one more visit to a cloths store. It was a second hand one, as they only had around twenty or so dollars between them. The hunched over man at the scrubbed pine counter gave them a toothless smile as they trampled in, choosing a spinning rack of cloths each to choose from.

Cora glanced over to Atom, who was wondering aimlessly around the different displays, obviously making no attempt to inspect anything. She rolled her eyes. "You gonna actually try something on, or wait for the cloths to choose themselves?" he gave her an innocent look, then shrugged.

"I dunno. I'm more used to other people doing shopping for me..."

Cora shot her head up. _He remembers something? And he's not freezing up?_ She pursed her lips, trying not to mention it yet to sneak anymore information off him before he realized.

"Like who?" she asked. He scanned over different shirts, taking a few seconds to judge whether it suited his style before flipping to the next one.

"Erm, robots." He answered, like he had forgotten he was one himself.

"A robot buying cloths for a robot?" she murmured, shaking her head. Suddenly Atom caught on, a look of stun coming across him.

"My memory!" he gasped. She raised an eyebrow, smiling. He scratched the back of his neck, thinking. "That was a strange one...I just specifically remember that I didn't do most of the work around where ever I lived..."

Cora frowned, walking over to him to inspect the cloths. "Huh...kinda weird. Not to mention stupid."

"Yeah..." Atom mumbled, lifting a lime green t-shirt. "A robot waiting on a robot? Talk about backward evolution." Cora snickered. After a while she stuck a dark gray hoodie in his face.

"Try this." She offered. His eyes lit up, taking it gingerly and examining the textures.

"Nice..." she grinned, leaping over to another assortment of cloths.

After a short amount of time, Zane had chosen a leather jacket with a navy blue shirt, keeping the jeans he had before. Cora slipped on a baggy pale blue t-shirt with some denim shorts and Atom had gone with the hoodie along with a pair of baggy pants.

Paying up, they strolled out of the store in head of the train station, trying not to get distracted by anything else. This came as quite a struggle as Zane would beg them every five seconds to turn back and check out an interesting stall. They also took the time to gape at the foot of a colossal arena, one that reminded them of something that came from gladiator times. But soon, they arrived at the end of the town.

The station wasn't modern, but wasn't exactly put together with nails and glue, either. Many sheltered waiting areas stretched along the long slab of concrete that met with the track, which traveled further then they could see. A three-foot iron fence guarded the entrance, and that's where they met up with the ticket man.

"Wait here..." Cora mumbled, leaving Zane and Atom as she ventured over to a particularly sour looking man with a wrinkled face that scrunched up as she approached him. Cora tried to look as friendly as possible, tapping her finger tips on the hard wood counter.

"Could I grab three tickets to Sparks please?" she said simply. The man grumbled something under his breath before ducking down and picking up three sickingly green pieces of paper, waving them in her face.

"Here," he spat. She grinned and nodded, reaching out for them. Accept he pulled back. "That'll be fifty four dollars..." Cora felt her mouth drop.

"_Fifty four dollars?_ Are you insane?" she scoffed. His beady eyes pulled into a scowl.

"You don't have the money? Then you don't get the tickets!" with that he slapped them back into his tiny office. She pulled a face at him, but couldn't summon anything witty to say. With a growl she twisted back to Zane and Atom who were waiting eagerly.

"You got 'em?" Zane asked. She crossed her arms hotly.

"Not unless you have fifty four bucks on you..." she mumbled. They both choked on their breath.

"What?" he exclaimed. "That's nuts!"

"I know..." she sighed deeply. "How are we going to pay for it? We can't get to the Hunters, we can't raise any money! What will we do?" she glanced around, scratching her neck.

Zane heaved a sigh. "I guess we stick around here until we come up with something. Maybe we'll end up walking there." He shrugged at the suggestion. Atom shook his head.

"No way. If the train was going to be traveling for a day, imagine how long it will take on foot." Cora nodded, biting her lip.

"I'm not considering we immediately take on the idea, but what about stealing?" while the robot looked shocked, Zane simply nodded in thought.

"It's an option."

"But what if we get caught?" Atom asked.

"That's why it's just an idea..." Cora sighed as she looked back to the heart of the busy town. "Well, I guess we'll check out some more sights. Maybe even pick up some things we might need on the trip."

"Train wise or walking wise?" Zane asked as they started to walk back to the stores. Cora shrugged, glancing to the massive stadium again. Something caught her eye this time. A large pin board next to a closed ticket booth by the curving tin wall. It was filled from top to bottom with flyers and advertisements. Intrigued, she slinked over to it and started examining them. Zane gave a quick look over his shoulder before continuing back down the path.

"Common Cora!" he called.

"Just a minute!" she replied. She lightly placed her hand on her chin, eyes scanning the board. Mumbling something she started to catch up with the others only to bump into someone.

"_Oomph_!" in an outburst of spilled papers, Cora got knocked over and landed on the dirt with a thud. She rubbed her head as she looked up. Standing there was a young adult, with sleek, thin black hair that dropped just past her chin. She was rather tall and slim as her cloths were a little baggy on her and stood out among the colorful culture of the town as they were crisp white or dull grey. She quickly grabbed at the floating papers, snatching them and pulling them into a folder or stuffing them under her arm.

"Darn it!" she cursed. "Come here you little-!" she grabbed another sheet before even glancing down to Cora. "Will you watch where you're going? I'm kinda in a hurry here!" Cora scowled, standing and dusting her shirt.

"You should watch yourself!" she snapped. Zane and Atom started walking over to the scene with confused faces as a fight broke out.

"_I_ should myself? You should at least respect your elders!"

"Sure grandma, after you apologize!"

"I'm sorry that you're so clumsy. Happy?"

"Alright, you are so asking for it!"

The too growled at each other with clenched fists and bared teeth, obviously not giving in to one another. Zane took action, pushing them off each other. "Cut it out you two! Geeze, you remind me of little kids!"

"She bumped into me! Tell your girlfriend not to be so rude!" Zane and Cora drew back.

"_Girlfriend_?" they both repeated with a disgusted face.

"Okay, you are why out of line to assume that!"

As they continued to yell at each other, Atom glanced to a lost paper, stuck under a rock beside his boot. He timidly picked it up, flipping it over and scanning his eyes over the information upon it.

His eyes grew wide.

His limbs grew numb.

Overall, he was horrified. On it was a picture of himself, spikes and all. But it was the words underneath the picture that made him freeze up. _WANTED_. He took a few shaky steps back, running his eyes over it once again, hoping he had missed something. Nope, that was him alright.

_Wanted? What did I do? Was it Damion from Autumn?_

He read over the fine print and found it was in fact none other than the Metro City Police Force after him. _Metro City Police? What did I do against them? Why are they after me?!_

"Why don't you just get lost?!" Cora finally snapped. The woman turned her nose up, shuffling her papers into place under her arm.

"Anything to get away from you freaks..." she muttered. She glanced over to Atom, holding one of her lost documents. "Hey! Give it here!" she hissed. Atom looked up at her, eyes still wide. She snatched for it to place it with the others. But she suddenly froze. Her sight scanned over Atom's face a few times. "NO...WAY..."

"Where did you get this document?" Atom asked firmly, holding it close. Cora and Zane raised an eyebrow to each other, oblivious to what was going on. As the woman made a grab for the paper, Atom raised it high above his head away from her reach.

"Give it here you little mite!" she growled.

"Tell me where you got it!" Atom challenged.

"What's going on?" Zane asked.

"Apparently I'm wanted," he answered. The two's mouths dropped open and their eyes grew wide.

"WHAT?" Cora gaped. The woman crossed her arms with a scowl.

"Fine. I don't really need it anyway," she smirked. "I was going to get paid for delivering it to the owner of the town, but imagine the price they'd pay for the direct location of the wanted robot." With a grin she pushed past them and made her way down to the train station.

"Wait!" they all cried, racing up to her. She rolled her eyes.

"Would you look at that. First you despise me and now you follow me. Ironic, huh?"

"You can't do that!" Cora pleaded, ignoring her last comment.

"I don't even know what I'm wanted for!" Atom joined.

"Look, the only way I'll walk away from one of the greatest pay checks of my life is if you offer me something better." She said, not stopping. Cora frowned deeply, running an idea through her head.

"He's not going to stay here long. What if I told you the place he'd be staying for the rest of his life?" it was then she stopped in her tracks, head tilted slightly up. Atom and Zane's eyes popped out of their skulls.

"WHAT?!" they screeched.

"I'm listening..." she woman said, turning to her.

"I'll make a deal with you," Cora started, only to be cut off by Zane.

"Actually, we need to talk first," he narrowed his eyes. "_Excuse us.._." he dragged her over into a huddle. "What do you think you're DOING?"

"Settle down!" she calmed. "If she has a link to the police then she can redirect them to searching the wrong parts of the Surface!"

"And how will you persuade her to do that?" Atom asked disbelievingly.

"We ask her to come with us." The two boys were silent for a bit until they burst out laughing.

"Good one!" Zane laughed. "I almost thought you were serious then!" her stern stare made their faces drop.

"Wait..." Atom quivered.

"You're actually _considering_ this?"

"Think about it! If she comes with us then we can monitor if she contacts the police! And she'll know where they might be waiting!"

"Still missing out on the part where she agrees," Atom said.

"We'll tell her to come with us to the circus. Accept we won't tell her until we get there. She'll probably think it stays in one spot, so we'll take off when it's time to move and they'll never track us again!" they all shared glances, shrugging. "Plus when Atom's in Hamegg's custody then there's nothing they can do." Atom's face dropped slightly as she said this, but they slowly nodded.

"Okay..." Zane mumbled. "But if she gets on my nerves then-"

"You'll grin and bear it." Cora snapped. Zane huffed as they all turned to the woman who was cleaning the dirt from her nails.

"You done with your chatter?" she asked. Cora nodded, stepping forward.

"You can find out where we are taking the robot only if you come with us." She stared at her for a while, blinking.

"Excuse me?" she almost laughed.

"You heard me. Are you in or out?"

"Wait..." she gaped. "You want me to tread around the Surface with you lot? Seriously?"

"It's not far, and you will get the pay day of your life, right?" Cora smirked. "What's there to lose? More paper work?" the young adult's lips thinned into an annoyed frown.

"...fine." She said quickly, not second guessing it. With hesitation she reached out her hand. "The name's Flair." Cora raised an eyebrow, not shaking.

"Cora." She murmured, walking back towards the town. "The deal also ensures that you do NOT let the police follow us. You can't make contact whatsoever." Flair's eyes dilated.

"What? You're kidding, right?" Flair snickered. But her face fell as Cora didn't reply, only smiling to her friends.

"Deal's set!" she chirped. Atom looked uneasy.

"I still don't think that's the end of it..." he quivered. "If it's the Metro City Police, then they'll have a little more to rely on then one person."

"Damn right," Flair pulled ahead of them, clutching her folder. "You'll be dead within a week. If you're lucky they don't find you before." She sent a quick glare to Atom. "Where're we heading, anyway?"

"We have to get on a train, but we don't have any money..." Zane mumbled. Cora glanced over to the pin board she had been inspecting. With a quick leap she ripped a flyer from the soft wood, stuffing it in her pocket and walking beside Flair.

"You wouldn't happen to have any-"

"No way," she snapped, cutting her off. "You aren't getting your hands on any of my cash. Besides," she flicked her hair from her face, "I've spent most of it on a cabin." The three became intrigued.

"Cabin?" Atom asked. Flair seemed to flinch away from the robot before her sight returned to the dusty street.

"Yeah. I rented a cabin." She froze up at the three looking at her expectantly. "You all are NOT staying in my cabin!" she retorted.

"I think we will be!" Cora smiled. "You can't leave our sight. So it's either we all stay in your cozy cabin, or your out in the streets with us." Flair growled something under her breath before turning sharply around the corner.

"Follow me."

* * *

><p>It was a cold night, in much contrast to the scolding weather during the day. This didn't bother any of them as a fire pit was in the living room by the scared blue couches. The cabin only had three rooms- a kitchenlounge room, a bathroom and one bedroom. Cora, Zane and Atom had agreed to sleep on the floor or couch while Flair owned the bedroom.

Zane and Atom were slumped along the couch, flicking pieces of the wanted poster into the fire pit. Cora was leaning against the wall, examining the flyer she had swiped from the pin board. Flair was busy getting herself a cup of coffee in the kitchen with an annoyed face painted on her features. Anyone could see the escape and murder plans running through her head every time she glanced to one of them.

Zane snickered at half the picture of Atom on the weak paper. "So what do you think you did?" he asked him. Atom shrugged.

"I dunno."

"Stealing? Murder? Manslaughter? Homicide? Kidnapping? Fraud? Killi-"

"ZANE," he growled. The teen hunched his shoulders meekly.

"What?" he asked him. "They're just suggestions..." they both turned their heads over to Cora who was now standing in front of them, holding the piece of colorful paper up for them to see.

"I have an idea." She said simply. Their eyes squinted as they leaned forward.

"Marvel's..." Atom mumbled. "Robot...Games...?"

"Yep!" Cora beamed. "I found out how we can get money!" the two stared at her for a long while, not moving. Flair rolled her eyes, sipping her drink.

"Wait..." Zane murmured. "You want us to bet?"

"Now, that's the thing..." Cora mumbled, pacing in a circle. "There are twenty five robots you can chose from to bet, yet only five compete anyway. So you can lose your money before any fighting actually starts." Atom and Zane raised an eyebrow at each other, not catching on. "So betting would be a sure way to lose our money rather than expand it."

"So, why are you telling us this then?" Zane asked. Cora simply smirked, coming to a stop in front of them and placing her hand on her hips. A slight devious look played across her face.

"Because we're not betting." She grinned. "We're competing."

They all stared at her, not speaking. Accept Flair, who had sprayed out her coffee all over the counter. She reduced to a long stream of laughs, throwing her head back.

"HAHA! Very funny!" she snickered, wiping her chin. But Cora's face didn't faze. Zane choked on his words.

"Wait, you're serious?" she nodded. "That's...insane!" he yelped, springing from his seat.

"How is it insane? We have a good chance of winning!"

"Wait..." Atom mumbled. "Enter the Robot Games...with _me_?" Cora rolled her eyes.

"Nah, Atom. The toaster." Shock met the robot's face as he leapt up in alert.

"No way!" he fought. "I am not going to be put in an arena, forced to fight for entertainment!"

"Not entertainment!" Cora reasoned. "For money! Atom, we need to get on that train!" Zane grabbed the poster, scanning his eyes over it. He let out a whistle.

"Winner takes five grand," he raised his eyebrows. "She gotta point, dude. We could use this money..."

"But I can't fight!" Atom scoffed. "I'll be scrap metal as soon as the first robot comes out of the stalls!"

"He's right, you know." They all looked over to Flair as she nodded to the flyer. "You don't know the half of what goes on in the games. Firstly, these are elite fighting bots that are strictly created to kill their opponents. Secondly, if he even makes it to the last round, the final robot is none other than Zog." They all tilted their heads.

"Zog?" Flair wiped down the bench.

"Marvel's robot. No one can bet on him because he ALWAYS wins. Marvel makes sure of that. It's ten tons of machine ripping gladiator." Atom gulped. She let off a slight shrug. "So, if he makes it past other robots like the Black Puma or Tobor Blade, then he's going to be crushed by Zog anyway. Putting him in these games is putting him on his death bed." She chucked the coffee mug into the sink. "Actually, strapping him to it."

They all shared glances, but Cora was glaring. Atom just smiled merrily, shrugging and returning to the couch. "Well, that settles it!" he said happily. "No Robot Games for me!"

"Oh no you don't!" Cora darted forward, latching onto the robot's collar. "You will fight in these games!" Atom's face pulled into one of contempt and resilience as he twisted to her.

"Cora, you heard what Flair said! I'd be torn apart before the games even start-"

"I DON'T CARE WHAT SHE SAYS!" Cora exploded, sending Flair to raise an eyebrow and Zane to shrink down. "You're MY robot, NOT hers!" Atom simply stood his ground, pushing her arm off his sweater. "And I don't care if you're a pile of SCRAP by the end of it! I need to get on that train! I need to get home!" she leaned in close to his face. "And I don't even _care_ if you're not with me when I get there." She spat.

A flash of emotion passed the robot's face as her harsh words hit his ears like a bite. Zane and Flair glanced awkwardly at each other as a long silence held the air, inviting anyone to break its harsh skin. Atom looked at the narrow daggers of eyes glaring at him as he took a shaky breath. Not able to summon even one word, he pushed past her and the others and disappeared out the door.

Chest heaving with difficulty, Atom barged into the dimly lighted streets, his mind trying desperately to sort out its thoughts and emotions. _How could she say that?_ came the bitter question. _Am I seriously just a robot again? Maybe I was never anything higher than that to start with..._

He clenched his fists, head craning around at an open bar near a small turn off which led to the main markets. Many lonely men sat slightly slumped on the rusty stools, drinking or smoking in silence, sometimes giving him a glance.

Filled with confusion and hatred, Atom ran up to an old vending machine, arching his leg. With an angry cry he slammed his boot against it, sending it flying across the dusty walk way and smash into a brick wall. The men at the bar raised their eyebrows at him but still showed little care. The bartender wringed a cloth along the rim of a beer glass as he watched him, chuckling at his method for releasing anger.

With another outburst of emotion Atom kicked a trash can with a growl, which rattled and rolled by the cabin. The fire still in him, he glanced down to his boots and summoned them to work, not taking no for an answer. Quickly they activated and boosted him upwards, but not for long. Obviously still needing practice Atom shakily landed upon the cabin roof, stumbling and landing on his knees. Not wanting to get back up, he stayed there for a long time, staring at the ground in thought.

_What's the point of getting back up? If I make it through today, or tomorrow or any other day, then it's just going to be the same thing. I'll be treated like a robot. And the only people who had kept me going have now spat me in the face. What's the point?_

His anger smoldering down into sadness, he curled into a small ball, hugging his knees to his chest. He squeezed his eyes shut, begging them not to shed tears. With a deep breath he rested his head on the rough ground.

_What's the point?_


	10. Bring It

_THOCK._

_THOCK._

_THOCK._

Atom's eyebrows furrowed as he slowly opened his eyes. He groaned, lifting his head a little just in time to see a small pebble hit his forehead.

_THOCK._

He groaned again, sight adjusting to see Flair sitting across from him, aiming another rock.

_THOCK._

"What...are you doing?" he mumbled.

"I'm gonna keep throwing them until you get up."

_THOCK._

"Okay, okay!" he sighed, pulling himself into a sitting position. He looked around, noting that he was still on the cabin roof where had most probably fallen asleep last night. The air was already warm and heavy and he could smell the crisp sent of bacon being fried from inside.

Flair nudged him. "Common."

Breakfast was nothing short of awkward. Zane sat next to Flair, leaving Cora and Atom to flinch now and then next to each other, trying not to make eye contact. Anyone could see Flair sniggering to herself, though on the outside keeping her face stern and her head low. Cora picked at her food for a few minutes, sighing and waiting for anyone to start a conversation. She looked up to Zane, her eyes screaming '_DO SOMETHING_.' He just passed of a smug expression, nudging his head towards Atom.

Cora clenched her fork with sweaty fingers and pushed her plate away. She glanced to Atom who's head was rested on his palm and pointed away from her. She gritted her teeth, digging the fork into the wooden table in an attempt to make herself look busy. Flair couldn't help smirk at the state of the two, digging more bacon into her mouth. Cora took a deep breath, playing with a strand of her hair.

Then...exploded.

"Okay, okay!" she cried, making Atom flinch and look at her. "I'm sorry I snapped at you! I was pissed off because the ticket man was a bitch," she jabbed a finger towards Flair, "_she_ was being a bitch and, frankly, the world was being a BITCH!" she looked Atom in the eyes. "I would never leave you to rot or be pulped into a heap of scrap, okay?" she glanced to Zane. "Okay? Everyone okay? OKAY!" she finished with huff, crossing her arms across her chest.

Atom blinked a couple of times, processing what she had just said. "T...thank you?"

"Yeah well, you're welcome!" she snapped. He just smiled, looking to Zane and Flair who were desperately trying not to burst out laughing, covering their mouths or sipping orange juice.

It was a beautiful day, with the sun shining and not a cloud in the sky. The perfect day to watch robots smash each other to the death. Zane, Cora and Atom slumbered out of the cabin, leaving Flair to take a days break from her heavy work and nap on the couch. They ventured out onto the dusty main streets, noting the definite increase in the people. And where were they headed? To the massive arena, all to attend the Robot Games.

"I can't believe you're still making me do this..." Atom gritted his teeth, ducking past crowds of people.

"I'm sorry," Cora sighed. "But there's no way we can get out of here if we don't have any cash."

"I won't even come first!"

"If things get too hectic, then we'll call the fight off. I promise." Atom let off a an uneasy look.

They continued until the crowds formed into a line, streaming past a ticket booth and into the stalls. On the far right to the gate way was yet another stall accept with a dusty label on it that read _'CONTESTANTS'_. They swerved from the massive crowds to approach a man at the stall, one leg flipped over the side as he slouched with his head bowled over.

He looked about twenty five to thirty years of age, with a relaxed tanned face with smudges of grease and dirt across his cheek. He wore a tattered brown jumper with ripped shorts falling just past his knees and sandals to enclose his feet.

Atom was sure to stay at the back of the trio as they walked up to him. Cora cleared her throat loudly. The man stirred a bit, blinking lazily and looking around. His sight fell upon the teenagers. "Public entrance is that way..." he mumbled, waving an arm in the other direction in a sleepy tone. Soon after he went back into a dreamy state, closing his eyes.

"We know," Cora retorted. "We're contestants." The man snapped his eyes open, raising an eyebrow at them all. With a grunt he flipping upwards into a sitting position, stretching his back.

"Oh really? Bunch of kids like you?"

"You seem quick to judge."

"Well, it's a tough competition. You gotta a robot strong enough?" he asked, a sly grin upon his face.

"No way in hell..." Atom muttered, earning an elbow jabbed in his arm.

"Shut it," Zane hissed.

"Sure," Cora smiled. The man took a glance around.

"Well?" he asked. "Where?" his face clouded with confusion when the teen stepped back, nudging Atom forward.

"Right here."

The man stared for a while, blinking. Then he burst out in laughter.

"HAHAHA! That thing? Seriously?" but his face fell as Cora and Zane's didn't faze. His shoulders dropped. "Wait...you're serious?"

"Obviously!" Zane growled. The man shook his head.

"Nah-uh. You must be new. He wouldn't last five minutes." Atom let off a light smile, beginning to walk from the booth.

"Oh well, we tried." He smugged, only for Zane's arm to dart out and grab him around the collar of the hoodie.

"Don't even think about it."

"How does he not qualify? He's a robot, he can fight- what's the problem?" Cora replied hotly.

"The problem is that these people pay money to see elite fighting robots. That thing," he pointed to Atom, "wouldn't last one round. It would be pointless." Cora crossed her arms.

"Can I talk to the boss then?" she snapped. The man let off a grin, gesturing to himself.

"You're talking to him!" they all tilted their heads. "The name's Marvel." He told. "_I'm_ the head of these games and _I_ choose which robot gets in or not. And my final answer is NO." Atom tapped Cora on the shoulder.

"Cora, we tired and we failed. Now lets GO." She ignored him, making him sigh angrily.

"Look, we _really_ need some money right now-"

"NOT. MY. PROBLEM," he snapped, kicking his legs up and getting comfy again. Cora let out an annoyed growl, kicking the side of the ticket booth. "You'll have to pay for that." He smugged. Cora was just about ready to punch the guy in the face when Zane grabbed her by the arm.

"Leave it," he muttered.

"_Finally_," Atom sighed. They looked as another tacky town man came up from behind the stall, leaning against the hard wood.

"Hey Patrick..." Marvel mumbled to him.

"What's new?" Patrick asked, glancing to Cora, Atom and Zane. "Who's this lot?" Marvel let off a careless gesture.

"Some kids want to enter their robot in the games..." he pointed to Atom. "That thing..." Patrick looked at the robot and almost immediately his eyes widened.

"Holy shit that thing looks real..." he walked forward towards them. Atom flinched, uncomfortable at his stare. Patrick reached out and poked his cheek.

"Ow! Hey, what was that for?!" he snapped, stepping away. Patrick paid him no attention, reaching out and grabbing his wrist. "Hey! Lay off!" the man simply examined him for a long while before dropping his arm and facing Marvel.

"Yep. I'd pay to see that thing get smashed up." Cora and Zane raised an eyebrow. Marvel snapped up in his chair.

"You would?" he asked, eyes sparkling.

"Sure! Acts like a kid, looks like a kid- bro this would be the game of the century!" Atom stared at Marvel for a long time as the man thought for a moment, hand placed lightly on his chin.

"So you think people would pay more money to see THAT fight?" he raised an eyebrow.

"_Alot_ more money, Marvel. Trust me." After a while Marvel let off a toothy grin.

"Congratulations, kid," he smirked. "You got yourself a one way ticket into the Robot Games!" while the robot's shoulders dropped Cora and Zane's face brightened.

"Serious?" Zane asked. Marvel nodded and smiled but Cora let off a sneaky smirk.

"No, I believe you said we couldn't..." she murmured, beginning to walk away again. Marvel's jaw dropped and Zane gave her a look as if she was walking right into a pit of death.

"_Excuse_ _me_?" the man stammered. Zane spun Cora to face him.

"What the hell are you doing?" he whispered.

"Play along..." she grinned, turning to Marvel.

"You were the one who were desperate to let him fight!" he argued. Atom was completely confused, sight juggling between Cora and Marvel.

"Yes, but you said it yourself. You decide the final answer and your final answer was no. So, bye-bye!" she gave him an innocent look and began walking towards the main street. Marvel chewed his lip, watching Atom slowly follow after. Patrick let out a whistle, turning on his heels.

"There goes a fortune..." he mumbled. Marvel clenched his fists as we watched them slowly depart.

"Wait!" he called. They didn't stop. "Ten grand!"

Cora suddenly came to a halt, head turned over to him. "Hmm? What was that?"

"Ten...ten grand for the winner. No loose ends. Winner takes all." Atom's eyes widened along with Zane's as they both glances to Cora. She gave him a professional look for a few seconds before walking back over to the stall.

"Fine." She smiled.

"Awesome!" Zane cheered at the thought of the heavy reward, fist pumping. Atom let off a wavering look, eyes flinching.

"BUT," Marvel held out a hand, "you need to know the terms and conditions. If he doesn't make it, then _I_ keep what's left of him." Atom's eyes widened.

"I don't-"

"Deal." Cora said easily.

"WHAT?" Atom yelped. Marvel's face brightened.

"Done then!" he smiled, leaping out of the booth. "Owners get a free entry in to watch the games," he sent them a low gesture to the entrance, placing one hand on Atom's shoulder. Zane and Cora nodded with a smile, making their way over there. As soon as they left Marvel grabbed him by the horn of his hair and began to drag him around the arena. Atom was knocked off his feet, his boots scraping along the dirt.

"HEY! STOP IT!" he growled. Marvel paid no attention, casually dragging him over to a large open gateway that led into one of the stalls, whistling whilst doing so. With an arch of his arm he threw Atom inside the enclosed area making the robot trip and fall over with a grunt. Atom groaned, rubbing the back of his head as he watched Marvel heave the massive door closed.

"Alright, you better have some fight in you, or there'll be nothing left of you to fight. Got it?" he told. "Oh, and welcome to the Robot Games." And the door was shut. Atom scampered quickly to his feet, backing up against the side of the wall as his head flinched around. He could hear the roar of the crowds from the other end of the stall, slamming into his ears.

Cora and Zane plunked themselves on two seats, looking around the massive arena. It was at least as big as a football field, with seats reaching up to fifty rows high. Almost every seat was filled with people of all ages, cheering and yelling for the fights to begin. "They seem pumped..." Zane mumbled, craning his head around. Cora nodded, looking to a small flat dome-shaped area above the line of stalls. Glass covered the rims of it and looks as if it was the crows nest of the arena. And who was standing in it? Marvel, along with many others, one being a kid that looked only about eleven years old.

"Those must be the other owners..." she thought to herself.

"And we weren't invited. That sucks."

"Guess he thought we'd crash the party," she mumbled, resting her head on her palm as the crowd fell silent for a few seconds. Marvel stepped forward in the crows nest, one hand clenched around an old boxing microphone.

"Is everyone ready for the Robot Games?" he asked in a surprisingly casual voice with a smile. The crowd responded with an out burst of applause. Zane and Cora had to smile at the atmosphere. _People sure take interest in robots tearing robots apart..._Cora thought. She should've been used to a crowd like this, as the circus attracted most people in the area. But this competition just felt so must more raw.

The two teens looked around as the cheering turn into a mix of claps in unison and loud stamps. Soon a solid beat formed. _Slam...stop...slam...stomp... _

Atom looked around and slowly walked away from the large doors that led into the games. _I won't be able to win this thing..._his chest heaved as his boots kicked up the dirt. _I'm going to be killed._...

Cora and Zane simply sat in their seats, watching as the people continued the beat for a small moment longer. Soon, they started to scream out lyrics.

"YOU BETTER LOOSE YOURSELF IN THE MUSIC, THE MOMENT, YOU OWN IT, YOU BETTER NEVER LET IT GO!"

Atom flinched as he heard the gears of the doors slowly turn with a sharp click. He felt his stomach drop as the door slowly began to shutter upwards, letting in harsh light into the small stall. He felt his back hit the opposite door and he pressed himself against it, scraping his legs still.

Cora smiled at the crowd as they kept the beat going and continued to yell out into the arena.

"YOU ONLY GOT ONE SHOT! DO NOT MISS YOUR CHACE TO BLOW!"

The door was half way open and Atom was almost passing out from the tension and fear. Suddenly the wall behind him began to push him forward, making him yelp out. The crowd was almost deafening as he was pushed closer and closer towards the open fighting grounds.

"THIS OPPORTUNITY COMES ONCE IN A LIFE TIME, OHHHH!" they finished with a loud stream of cheering.

"Nice theme song," Zane smiled, leaning back in his seat. Cora eyed the almost open stall door. The wall pushing Atom stopped fast and he pushed off it with shaking legs. Slowly, he walking into the arena. With quivering eyes he glanced around, everyone's attention laid upon him. The crowd's yelling turned into a whirl of gasps, confused comments or plain falling into silence. Marvel twirled the microphone in between his fingers, holding it to his mouth.

"I know what you're all thinking..." he said to them. "Why on earth would I put a kid in the ring? Now, I'm not saying that wouldn't be entertaining as hell, but this here ladies and gentlemen, is in fact a robot." Atom slowly walked into the centre of the arena with no idea what to do. The crowd began cheering once again with new found enthusiasm. "So, without further ado, let the games begin! BRING OUT BLACK PUMA!" the crowd let out a cheer.

Flair looked to the TV from the kitchen, sipping her coffee with droning eyes. "This outta be good..." she mumbled.

The crowd died down as another stall gate slowly lifted upwards, letting out the first opponent. Atom took a breath, clenching his fists. Suddenly a small tune arose to everyone's ears. A...nursery rhyme? A small box-like robot squeaked out, its tiny wheels rolling over the dusty ground. It looked only as big as your everyday teddy bear and was mostly sliver with a pink rainbow slapped on one side. It's head had two thin iron ears pricked on each side to resemble some sort of cat with slanted eyes and a cherry nose. The twinkling tune followed as it rolled towards Atom, not causing any sort of threat what so ever.

Zane glanced to Cora with a snicker and she just shrugged back. The crowd had fallen into silence but none of the people seemed confused at the tiny robot. Zane was just about ready to burst out laughing. "KICK IT, ATOM!" Cora yelled to him. Atom looked to them.

"Like a vending machine!" Zane laughed. The robot looked to the cat as it came to a small stop and the tune echoed away. _Worth a shot..._

With a small run up and a bend of his leg, Atom slammed his boot right in the face of it, sending it flying. With a satisfied smile he watched the chunky machine perform many small flips in the air...and begin to transform. He frowned as it began to extend and fold out in an array of metals and gears and crash back to the ground. A wave of dust arose as it scraped to a stop, clouding Atom's vision to see what the hell he just did. Soon the musk cleared.

Atom took a step back.

And another.

And another.

His eyes widened to the giant robot in front of him. Cora and Zane felt their mouths drop. Flair simply smirked, slouching on the counter.

Black Puma. It was as big as a bulldozer and took the form of a wild cat, only around ten times larger. It's skeleton was made completely of sharp shards of shiny metal and it's tail held a heavy shooter of some sort. It's mechanical eyes turned to slits and its mouth twisted into a snarl.

"Oh...no..."

Puma let out a roar and swiveled it's tail around, slamming it into Atom's side and sending him to crash into the arena wall with a grunt. _OW..._

Atom groaned, clenching his shoulder and shakily getting to his feet as the dust fell off him and the crowd started cheering once more. Atom looked to see the huge robot snarl at him and throw its heavy tail at him again. Atom let out a yelp and ducked under it quickly, running along the rim of the high walls. Puma simply slashed its paw straight into him, sending him across the arena. He tumbled on the hard ground until he scraped to a stop. The crowd responded with a loud applause.

"No one said anything about the robots being _big_..." Zane mumbled with wide eyes.

"Elite fighting robots, Zane," Cora muttered back.

"Atom won't win, will he?" Cora just watched Black Puma slowly twist around, eyes flaring up as it planned its next attack. Her jaw tightened.

"We'll see."

Atom got to his feet once more, breathing up to maximum. His opponent let out a roar, gears groaning into motion as its strong agile legs kicked up the dirt, surging the robot towards him. Atom stood there for a few seconds, knees shaking at the sight of the giant machine headed straight for him.

'_You better have some fight in you, or there'll be nothing left of you to fight..._'

Fight. Atom took a breath of musty air, feeling the thunderous steps from Black Puma echoing along the ground. In one sift movement he thrust his legs into action as he sprinted across the arena, headed straight for the giant robot. Everyone leaned forward in their seats, intrigued on what the boy robot was planning to do. Marvel just let off one of his smirks.

Just when he was close enough, Atom dropped low to the ground, sliding one leg back and skidding straight underneath the Black Puma. Time seemed the slow down as he looked up at the clicking and sliding under belly. He spun to a stop, one hand to the ground as the crowd let out a cheer.

Cora sat back in her seat, gaping. "Well that was pretty fucking ninja..."

Obviously confused on how its prey had slipped past it, Black Puma craned its heavy head around, scanning the grounds in front. Atom bit his lip and tried to plan his next move before the robot caught on. It felt like he had just only un-fuzzed his mind when the tiger like machine was glaring at him again with a growl. Cursing under his breath he eyed his opponent back, wondering what move it would take. He never expected this though…

With a whirr its tail whipped around and pointed right at him and with a sharp hiss of lightning fast metal a large stake whizzed past him and sliced into the wall.

"Oh shi-"

It wasn't long before he was running along the edge of the arena, a trail of spikes following his every move and clipping at his jacket. The large robot seemed to grin devilishly as Atom ran closer and closer towards it. _Okay…death by spikes or giant tiger. Could be worse_. But just to his running out luck the spikes quickly ceased, the mechanical beast obviously running out of them. Choosing another tactic it quickly lashed out at him, to which Atom responded by boosting upwards. This back fired as he was sent crashing to the other side of the arena.

He groaned, getting to his shaking feet and pressing up against the wall. _Okay, not flying again_. He gritted his teeth to the Black Puma quickly pounding after him. His eyes flinched on what to do when they met with the sight of one of the stakes sliced into the wall.

Acting before his brain could even process what he was doing Atom gripping his fingers around the end of it and pulled with all his might. He could feel the pounding of the metal monster coming towards him, the crowd roaring with excitement and anticipation.

He gritted his teeth and pressed his foot against the wall to help him get the stubborn weapon out. "COMMON!" he cried uselessly.

Cora and Zane were on the edge of their seats, biting their cheeks and clenching their hands. "Common Atom…" Cora whispered. "Common, common, common…"

Black Puma opened its mouth to flaunt its shiny razor sharp teeth as it reached the tiny opponent just as Atom finally pulled the stake free.

CRUNCH.

The sound of breaking, twisting metal met everyone's ears.

Nobody made a sound.

Nobody reacted for a while.

Atom breathed heavily, dropping the metal spike that was half skewered into the Puma's head. The robot did nothing but whirr its back leg which quickly died out with a glint of electricity. It wasn't long before the crowd exploded in applaud, standing up to get a better look at the surprising winner. Atom collapsed against the wall, out of breath.

"NEVER… AGAIN…"

Cora and Zane were practically flying they were so excited.

"HELL YES!"

"WE WON!"

"Not yet, we still got three more."

"Oh damn."

Cora squinted at the over-looking nest as the same boy she saw before slump in disappointment, chucking his controls down and walking off with his dad. _Was that robot really controlled by that boy?_ She raised an eyebrow at the thought.

Marvel gritted his teeth in agitation, taking the microphone. "Well then!" his voice boomed. "That was…_surprising_ at least! Looks like our new tyke has some fight in him! Well, he hasn't met with our next opponent!" the crowd cheered in response. Atom reluctantly pulled himself off the wall with a tired expression as some working robots pulled Black Puma out of the arena.

"Ladies and gentlemen! TOBOR BLAAAADDEEEE!"

The crowd let out another cheer and quickly a heavy gate stirred into life, metal and metal biting against each other as it descended upwards to let in the new opponent. Cora narrowed her eyes to a new owner who stepped forward. This one was much different than the humble looking child as before, with a scabby beard and gleaming gold eyes that screamed money. He didn't control this one this time.

"At least it can't get any worse than Black Puma." Cora strained the words out, hoping she hadn't jinxed anything. Because seriously- nothing could beat that beast.

Oh, but irony and fate decided to team up today and what screamed out that gate just proved it.

Atom only got a glimpse of a razor sharp blur and a roar of what sounded like a hundred motorbikes before leaping back to avoid his opponent's first blow. He took several more steps when he got a good look at the thing. Tobor Blade was at least three times larger than Atom and was the complete opposite to Black Puma, or rather any other thing in this town. It's armor was gleaming gold with Japanese symbols splashed across it, obviously polished before-hand and taken care of obsessively. It's build was very much like a human giant, accept its left arm ended in an impossibly massive rounded, spinning blade and it's right arm ended in a long chain saw. It looked like it leapt out of a slasher film with its glaring gaze and unmoving eyes.

"What was that you were saying, Cora?" Zane bit out, glaring at her from his seat.

Tobor didn't take any time to start slashing at Atom, the chain saw barely missing him before attacking again, as if trying to fight off much more enemies then just one. Atom could only find it in him to take jumps backwards, mind still trying to process what to do. He hissed when the chain saw nipped his cheek, exposing a slit of wires and metal. Obviously not gaining the upper hand in front of the thing, Atom dashed to the side of the arena.

Tobor whirled its body around and chased after, quickly gaining and slitting across Atom's knees. He screamed, falling to the ground but didn't have the time to strain in pain because the warrior robot was above him and stabbing for his chest in a millisecond. He rolled out of the way as the chain saw came surging down. Dirt pummeled into his cheek like a machine gun. He rolled the other way as the chain came down again and again. _Can't do this forever…_Atom gritted his teeth and squeezed his eyes shut when the chain saw came down the fourth time and stuck his hands out, grabbing it flat against his palms and lifting it just inches away from his nose.

He groaned and fought against the opponent's strength but soon got him with range to kick. Booting him in the chest but still seizing his arm, Tobor Blade went flying into the wall, screeching when the arm disconnected and was ripped from his elbow. Atom quickly leapt to his knees, for once appreciating the cheer from the crowd as he wiped his mouth. _There goes one arm…_

Cora smirked in satisfaction at the shocked expression on the owner's face. _Yeah, that's right bitch_, she thought. _Our robot's half the size and is kicking your ass_.

Tobor looked up in enraged fury. Atom glared back. No way he was going to hop around anymore. These people want a fight and they'll get a fight. Tobor rushed forward, his huge razor wheel roaring into life as he swung it back and prepared to strike. Atom easily missed the first swing and Tobor took a minute to regain his footing when he arched back and swung behind. Atom kept dodging and Tobor kept swinging, neither of them laying a scratch on each other. Soon, Atom began to notice a major design flaw.

Each time Tobor swung his arm to the fullest, he had to lean back to keep it from hitting his own chest.

Bingo.

He was about three meters from him and didn't bother to take any more steps back. He stood there, completely idle. Cora and Zane leaned forward in their seats with huge eyes while the rest of the crowd chirped to themselves with excitement. "What is he doing?" Zane asked. "He's got a plan, right? Please tell me he's got a plan…" Cora looked up to Tobor Blade's owner. He was grinning cheekily, crossing his arms over his chest, obviously thinking he had this in the bag. But Cora knew their robot had something none of the other ones had- a smart mind. Her eyes returned to the game.

Atom couldn't control his rapidly rising chest. Tobor's metal face looked like it was smirking and he slowed down a bit, arching his arm the furthest it could go. Atom still didn't move, even when he was just a foot away. As the spinning wheel, _screaming_ with razors, began to fly at his head, Atom waited until the very last second to let his legs drop from underneath him. He landed in a squat and jumped up just after when Tobor was leaning back to avoid dying at his own hand.

And then he slammed his feet into the rushing metal teeth and pushed it right into his chest.

The crowd gasped as Atom yelled out in pain and perseverance, his boots getting deep groves carved into the bottom as the wheel clicked and glitches, burying into the layers of metal and wire. He fell to the ground and bit his lip as Tobor spasmed into malfunction until finally falling to the ground with its final sparks. The audience exploded into cheers, most standing from their stalls. Cora and Zane stood with them.

"YEAH ATOM!" Zane fist pumped.

"THAT WAS AWESOME!" Cora flinched to a poke in the shoulder and twirled around to see an elderly man with a crooked back and a kind smile. His washed out eyes glanced to Atom who was recovering from the fight.

"That robot yours?" he asked shakily. Cora reluctantly nodded, not sure where this was going.

"Uhhh, yeah." The man's face scrunched up in a smile and nodded.

"He's doing well, then. He's doing well." Cora grinned and let out an extremely girly giggle. She nodded, regaining herself and turning back to her robot. Her little amazing robot.

The owner of Tobor Blade was pulling a hissy fit, screaming at Marvel and screaming at (what Cora could only put as) the world. He stormed out of the crow's nest and Marvel took the microphone, unfazed.

"Well, well, well! Let's hear it for the little guy!" The crowd shook with enthusiasm. Marvel chuckled. "Well, we have another first time fighter here with us today! So, without further ado, here is Death Machine!"

Cora and Zane looked up to the crow's nest to see the last owner besides Marvel step forward. This was a young girl, probably only fourteen or so and had elegant glasses and her hair pulled into a messy bun. She looked almost bored to be there, chewing on some gum.

Atom struggled to his feet and watched the cleaning bots take what was left of Tobor out of the ring. He needed to regain himself. He's almost died twice now and his cheek was slit along with the back of his knees. He didn't even want to know about the state of his feet. But, there was no stopping. No stopping until the very end, where he'd be most definitely destroyed by Zog.

He whimpered at the thought, straightening himself out for the next opponent anyway. Here it was. either die by this one or the gladiator. The crowd went silent as the doors began to slide open. He swallowed.

Out from the cage where he was kept came a very different robot indeed. He didn't look threatening at all. He looked like an old waiter bot, accept it's right hand was upgraded to a vicious looking claw and it's black coating back lost its shine long ago. _Huh_, he thought. _This one doesn't seem so bad_.

Cora immediately stood up from her seat, her eyes wide in shock. Zane's mouth dropped open. "It that…?"

'Death Machine' got one look at Atom and his eyes went wild with rage.

"YOU!" he shrieked. Atom was taken back.

"…Excuse me?"

"YOU! YOU GOOD FOR NOTHING ZITTLE RAT!" Atom's eyes were wide with confusion when he came charging for him with a battle cry. He pushed the attack off easily, taking steps back.

"Shit, that's GRASP!" Zane scrunched his hair in his palms. "And Atom has no idea he kicked the Scavenger's asses! Crap!"

"Look," Atom said cautiously, "I'm pretty sure you have me mixed up with some other battle robot-"

"NO MORE TALKING!" A punch was thrown at his face which Atom dodged, but Grasp got hold of his arm with his right hand, squeezing down on it with momentous power. He bit out a cry, one leg failing him and giving into the pain of his skin being molded.

"ATOM!" He glanced up to Cora. "THAT'S GRASP! FROM THE SCAVENGERS!" His eyes widened.

"Oh-"

He was cut off when Grasp threw him into the wall. "You will pay for zwhat you 'ave done!" he yelled, stepping closer to him. Atom used the wall as support to get back on his feet. Okay, now he understood. He beat him and his gang up in his sleep. Surely it couldn't be hard when he was awake. Grasp threw a punch at him, succeeding in only hitting the wall. "YOU'VE MADE ME A DISGRACE!"

Another punch.

"I'LL KILL YOU FOR THAT!"

Another two punches.

"NO-ONE MAKES ZA FOOL OUT OF ME!"

The punches kept coming, not even bothering with their aim anymore. Atom kept stepping to the side, raising an eyebrow at Grasp's 'battle tactic'. But soon something happened. Grasp's arm began to fume and smoke, stuck in its continuous pattern of mindless assaults. His threats began to mold into one stream of static and harsh beeps and his whole body was covered in steam. Atom ran to the side as he calculated all the signs.

A huge explosion went off as the robot self-destructed, the ball of fire trying to climb out of the arena and grab the people in the stalls closest. When nothing seemed to be of much harm the coliseum burst into claps and laughter. Cora and Zane were among the laughing ones. The owner of Grasp's eyes widened for a few seconds before shrugging and walking off. Two more than usual cleaning bots came out to collect the rubble.

Atom was still at a miss. _Did that robot just self-destruct because it wanted to kill me so much?_ The thought was clouded with a worse one in its place. _Zog. Oh. No._

Marvel's laughing could be heard before he even grabbed the microphone. "Well, that probably why it was a first time competitor!" he took a moment to snicker off mic. "Now you know what time it is?" Most of the laughing was cheering now. "Yeah! That's right baby! MY TIME! Let's see what my big boy does against this little tike, hey? Bring out…what's his name?"

"ZOOOOOG!" the audience answered with a squeal of delight. Zane sunk to his seat with a swallow.

"This is it…right?" Cora looked to him. He seemed concerned.

"It…it's not over yet. He'll make it. He has to. He's made it so far."

"Yeah, out of smarts and luck. Zog won't have all those flaws, Cora. He's the champion. An immovable object."

"Yeah, well Atom's an unstoppable force. So let's just see." Their eyes met the arena as the grinding gates of the last stall begun to open.

Quarter way open…Atom could just see the start of the titan's golden tummy.

Half way open…still his midsection.

Almost all the way open…and the robot was still going. It was like the endless mountain of gold until finally he spotted a tiny dome at the top which he guessed could pass as some sort of face. Zog was _massive_. He could probably clear the entire arena in three steps. No wonder he was the champion- one step and you're dead. Atom took a few steps back and had to stop himself from falling over just from the mere magnitude of him.

Zane leaned back. "Holy...shi- no, actually, there's no words to describe that…"

Zog took no time to begin fighting, leaning down and slamming his arm down on Atom, who only just missed it by throwing himself to the side. Zog then scraped his arm along the ground, braking up the dirt and sending it flying as it chased after the tiny robot. Atom's eyes went wild when he looked behind him. The chunky gold limb chased him and before he even knew it he had ran into Zog's stumpy leg. With surprising quickness he lifted the fat stump up and slammed it down on Atom with so much force that the entire coliseum shook violently.

Everyone was silent. Marvel's eyes glinted with achievement and he slid the microphone into his hand. Cora's breath hitched in her throat and Zane just sat there. _It…can't be the end…we've…we've gone through too much for it to end here…_

"T-told you," Zane said, the life gone from his voice. The crowd began cheering again, but not as enthusiastic this time. They still seemed happy, but you could tell they were really excited to see where that little kid was going.

"We have a new record!" Marvel said cheerfully. "Eighteen seconds! Well done to our first time competitors and their truly entertaining child robot! One of a kind, he was. did you see his face when he was about to get stomped on! Ha! Ohhh, priceless…" he pretended to wipe a tear from his cheek bone. The crowd chuckled good-heartedly and some begun to leave their seats. Cora still couldn't move, but her hears burned.

…She didn't like it when people talked about her robot like that. She hated it, in fact. She wanted nothing more than to burn Marvel and burn Zog and burn this whole fricken _town to the ground_, for taking away her friend. Her _friend_. And friends come with responsibility. To keep them save. Suddenly she was back at the circus, looking down at the tiny fragile bodies of the children who had died from sickness or hunger.

_Where was their food, Cora? Why didn't you give them enough food?_

_Where was their medication, Cora? Why didn't you steal from the store that day?_

_Why? Why? WHY?_

_Why is Atom dead, Cora? Why did you have to be so selfish?_

_WHY?_

She buried her face in her hands and choked on her words (sobs?). "Oh god…o-oh go-o-d…"

Marvel's white teeth shone. "Come back again folks! It's been a blast!"

Zane placed a hand on her shoulder. "It's okay, Cora."

"Okay?" she batted the hand off. "He's DEAD, Zane. Crushed metal is waiting under that foot and it's ALL. MY. FAULT."

"Nothing was your fault! We're a team, okay? You fuck up, I fuck up. That's how it works!"

"If I hadn't even _suggested_ the idea, then he might still be-"

They're argument got cut off with the sound of groaning metal. Everyone that was in the middle of departing quickly glanced down to the dusty arena. Zog still stool proudly but didn't move.

Slowly….his foot begun to lift up a slither.

Cora wasn't sure what was happening, but her mind told her to be happy about it so she was. It was impossible. There was no way he could still be alive. The foot lifted further and further and soon she could hear the sound of groaning. Never had she been so happy to hear that voice.

Atom tried standing up fully but Zog finally got the message on what was happening and pressed his leg downwards. Atom yelled out, straining his body even further. Soon he was almost fully standing up.

People were climbing back into their seats, eyes wide with anticipation. Marvel even had to wipe his eyes and smell his breath for alcohol. "What in the…?" he breathed, not noticing that he had the microphone in hand. Cheering echoed from some corners, but most stared in disbelief.

Atom's eyes flared up and he stretched his arms out, fully holding Zog's leg up with utter strength. Zog fought against it again, lowering Atom down more. He gritted his teeth. "NO…GET…OFF..OF..ME!" Suddenly a burst of light and fire shot up from Atom's boots. He groaned against the gold tinted metal, trying not to pay attention to the searing pain that shot up from his legs. Zog was leaning and waving his arms out for balance, his head turning to Marvel, his blank face crying for help. Marvel still was lost for words.

The crowd began cheering more, yelling out words of encouragement. Atom let out one last battle cry as he boosted his rockets to the absolute fullest they'd ever gone. In one swift moment Atom shot up wards, still clinging to Zog's leg and flipped the monstrous machine onto its back. It's head crashed into the side of the arena and crumble a part of the wall and the ground gave way to his heavy body.

For a few seconds everyone basked in the unbelievable event before screaming out, standing on their feet and clapping harder than any other time Zane or Cora could imagine. Marvel abruptly dropped the microphone and fell back into his chair.

Cora took no longer than two seconds before she leapt out of her seat and ran to the edge of the benches, sliding down the slightly sloped wall and landing with a thud into the dust covered arena. Atom looked down to her and smiled weakly, flying over as his rockets gradually gave out and he stumbled onto the ground. He was met with a fierce embrace.

"I'm sorry!" she sobbed into his neck. "I'm so sorry, don't ever let me send you into something like that again, I'm so sorry, I'm sorry…" He hugged her back and tried not to fall to the ground.

"Did I win?" he could only think to ask. She laughed and wiped her tears away, eagerly nodding.

"Yeah! Yeah, you won alright!" he smiled, sighing in relief and falling back into her arms. She giggled, hugging him again. Zane tumbled after them and joined the embrace.

"GROUP HUG. GOD DAMMIT GROUP HUG. We should do this more often. You know, just to embrace the fact that we are indeed still living." Atom chuckled and Zane smiled fondly at him, tugging on his hair.

The entire crowd thought this was a touching notion but too mushy for their taste, so they shook it up by climbing down into the arena themselves and sent a wave of cheering and explosions of confetti everywhere. It wasn't long before Atom was lifted onto some guy's shoulders. He laughed and lapped up the praises, punching his fist into the air. "WOOOOOO!" The man who was carrying him looked to Cora.

"YOUR ROBOT ROCKS!" he yelled over the ground. Cora grinned and nodded.

"I KNOW!"

As everyone departed from the Robot Games, celebration was still in the air. Little kids wanted to get a look at Atom and most wanted to spread the news that a new champion had emerged as quickly as possible. While passing through the main street on their way back to Flair's cabin with still a good hand-full of eager new fans behind them, Cora and Zane spotted Black Puma by one of the stall gates. It was already fully repaired and a few children were climbing over it or tickling it under its chin as it purred wildly, no more harmless than a house cat. Cora smiled and continued walking.

Atom looked over to a booth by the entrance that only read 'BETS' and saw two young girls, probably 15 at best, standing at the front. He only got a glimpse of a sweeping black fringe and tidy waist coat (very diverse from the people of Scarlet Lakes) for one and made out choppy brown hair for the other with a duck figurine attached to her belt. But it's what he heard the dark-haired one say that stumped him.

She held up a bag that was rattling with coins and grinned at it. "Tenma you _genius_…" The other chuckled in agreement.

Atom frowned at them_. Tenma? How did the even know about him? And they know he's my creator?_ They looked around with a certain shiftiness and then disappeared into the crowd. Unable to trace them with the people still bubbling at his sides and not wanting to stir Cora's mood he let it pass and continued to the cabin.

Shocked was an understatement for Flair's reaction when they walked through the door. They had finally lost the crowd a while back and were beginning to discuss the seriousness of Atom's injuries when he began to limp and how they were going to fix them. Zane wasn't fussed, now that he had five grand under his belt (which Marvel would be delighted to give to them later on) he felt like he could rule the world.

"HOLY MOTHER OF-"

"We missed you too, Flair," Cora smirked, helping Atom to the couch which he eagerly flopped down on. Flair's eyes were as wide a saucers. She raised a finger to Atom and looked at him as if he were an alien.

"You…you're ALIVE? How the hell did you make it out?!"

"I thought you were watching it from the TV," Zane muttered, walking over to the fridge and ripping open a coke.

"I turned it off as soon as Zog came out! No robot's ever gotten by more than ten seconds with him!"

"Well Atom got a speedy eighteen seconds." Zane smugged, taking two long chugs. "And decided to kick it off with kicking Zog's butt. A pretty poor design when you think about it. Just push it over and- BOOM. Not getting up for a long while."

"Yeah, they'll probably start building a park around him," Cora smiled at the idea. Flair just collapsed on the couch, staring at Atom and softly shaking her head.

"You're a little wonder, you know that?" Atom smiled, resting his head on the back of the couch. Cora carefully stretched his legs out and pulled his jean legs back, or really, what was left of them. The fabric back of his thighs were completely shredded. Atom gasped when she skimmed her fingers over the dip in his knees.

"Oh, _ouch_…" she grimaced, feeling that all the skin covering was ripped off. "That looks…that's _painful_…"

"Thank you for that life changing information," Atom bit out. Cora couldn't find it in her to tell him off for rudeness.

"So, our plan of action from here?" Cora asked anyone who had the answer. Zane shrugged, sitting down next to Atom with another coke in hand.

"You're looking at it." She rolled her eyes and looked to Flair for any ideas. She was still shocked to the shell.

"Our next step is the train-" Atom stopped to grit his teeth as Cora laid his feet up onto the coffee table, "and travel past Green Fields. T-then we go to- OWWW! STOP TOUCHING IT! PLEASE!" Cora darted her hand away from trying to see what under-wires were unattached. "Sorry…" he sighed, "But it's like me slipping my hand underneath your skin and poking your blood vessels." Cora put some distance between them now, trying not to look sick at the description. Atom composed himself. "Then we're on our way to Sparks."

She nodded in approval. "Okay, so in the morning we go to get the money from Marvel."

"Oh-ho-ho-ho!" Zane gave a toothy grin and threw his head back. "He's going to _love_ that…" Flair finally snapped out of it and smiled.

"It's about time someone took his ego down a few pegs." Cora chuckled, looking to the three people she's gotten stuck with on this insane adventure, and for once not feeling any strain on her mind. They'd be okay.

Because they were going home.


	11. Trust Me

Rain was pelting against the work shop's tin roof, rattling the carriage on its pedestal. Reno was tinkering at his bench cheerfully listening to the raindrops fall and squinting every time the overhanging light gave out for a few seconds. Rain was definitely not the best for circus business but luckily it was Tuesday- the one day they got off to re-stock or set up new acts.

He flinched at an angry rap at his door. He looked up from his work as the heavy door swung open with an unattractive screech to meet the faces of Chloe and Shadow. Shadow wore an un amused expression, her tank top drenched from the weather. "You're robot's broken again." She mumbled. Chloe stood perfectly with hands behind back.

Reno sighed heavily, throwing his head back. "How bad?" His question was answered by an irritated Pepper who soon trudged into view, pulling a colorful robot by its arm. A colorful robot who looked very pleased with herself.

"HI DADDY!" she squeaked in a voice almost too high-pitched to bare.

Sizzi t49z was a very, well…_special_ robot. A few children were scavenging in the dumps one day when they saw a tuff of rainbow streaked hair poking out of the trash. After pulling her out and cleaning her up a little they found they had retrieved the circus's first humanoid robot. 'Sizzi' robots apparently were the first of the humanoid robot manufacture line, according to Reno's infinite supply of robotic facts, but as technology grew they were cast out.

Sizzi was in the best shape she could come, though minus a few skin coverings on the inside of her arms, legs and most of her body. Her hair was her most prized feature, always in two thick ponytails, spilling out rainbows from the sides of her head. Her programmed age was sixteen (though her body was proportioned much taller thanks to old design) but her robotic brain had been damaged over time, resulting in a personality fit for a three year old.

Hence, 'daddy'.

"The rain's so pretty!" she grinned.

"Yes," Reno said. "_And_ dangerous."

"She's soaked all the way through," Pepper grumbled. She almost threw the large robot on the work bench though still trying to look pleasant enough for Reno's liking. She was right- Sizzi's thin, powder blue dress was drenched, the pretty little flowers sewn on it dripping with misery.

Reno groaned, scrunching his hair. "It's gonna take me ages to fix her again!" he mourned. He looked down at the smiling robot and gave her a confronting stare. "Sizzi, you know better." Immediately her face soured into a pout.

"I-I'm sorry Daddy…" she whimpered. Anyone could see the crying about to start. Shadow threw her hands up and walked.

"I'm outta here." Chloe followed quietly.

"I-I just wanted to see the rain…because it's pretty…and-and…" Reno sighed and his composure dropped.

"It's fine, but you know I just care about you and don't want you to get hurt." Pepper rolled her eyes, thinking that she might vomit.

"Need any help?" she asked sweetly. Even though she hated that robot, any time spent with Reno was time well spent.

"PEPPER! WE NEED YOU!" She grimaced at the yell from outside and stomped out with a growl. Reno shook his head, sitting down at his desk and pulling the loose strands of colorful hair from her big blue eyes. He had known Sizzi for about seven years now, and considering he was the first person she saw when she was first re-booted she had called him 'Daddy' and he guessed the role just stuck. Sizzi would always be his little robot girl. Even though she was a foot taller than everyone.

"Can you fix me?" she asked.

"Of course I can fix you," Reno said immediately, insulted for her to think otherwise. "I'll always be there to fix you."

Her face split into a smile. "Yaaaay!" she cheered. He smiled and pressed one of the bright buttons on a black control box that poked out just above her dress line and Sizzi's eyes calmly closed as she shut down. He exhaled and leaned back.

"Well this is gonna be hell."

Four hours later Reno had taken most of Sizzi apart, polished and dried each piece and was now putting her back together. Half of her chest and one shoulder stood on its own along with her neck and head. He had to admit, she looked pretty funny as just a head, sleeping soundly. Attaching her main power source and re-booting her he decided to turn her back on. She was strangely good to have conversations with.

She blinked wearily until she saw Reno connecting a part of her hand together. Her eyes lit up. "Daddy!" she glanced around. "I'm sorry I went out in the rain again, but I really love the feel of it when it drips on my nose! I didn't think I ruined _that_ much of my- oh look my body's all in pieces…"

"Yes, that's what happens." He smiled warmly. Sizzi watched him work quietly for a few seconds before lurching her neck out and nipping his fringe. He snorted, pushing her head back. "Sizzi," he warned though chuckling despite himself, "stop, I'm trying to work."

Suddenly the door opened and Pepper stuck her head in again with a rosy smile. Sizzi's eyes widened. "WHO'S THERE?" she called. "Wait, I'll go check." With a whirr of mechanics her head fully rotated on her neck until she was facing the rather disturbed girl behind her. "Oh." She said lamely. For a few seconds they stared awkwardly until Sizzi pulled her face into a creepy smile. "HELLO PEPPER."

Pepper physically recoiled and decided it best not to make eye contact. She slid over to Reno. He didn't even look up at her. "I don't understand why you keep fixing her," she said. "Her entire brain's a malfunction."

"No it's no-" Reno began to protest when Sizzi turned her head slowly back around to face them with bubbly giggles and an insane glint in her eyes. His shoulders fell. "Yeah, okay. She's a little insane. But there's no way I'm shutting her off, and that's that." Pepper blew her chocolate fringe out of the way and rolled her eyes.

"She doesn't even do anything though."

"Hey, she has her own act!"

"What, spinning around and making her hair glow?"

This made Sizzi burst out.

"LOOK WHAT I CAN DO WITH MY HAIR!"

A low humming arose and the two ponytails began to glow, each strand igniting in brilliant color. Sizzi was obviously pleased, grinning from ear to ear. Pepper and Reno stared at her for a good two minutes without reacting.

"See?" Reno gestured. "How could you reject that face?" The robot giggled.

"HEHEHEHE."

"Reno, don't you ever get tired of being around robots _every day_?" Pepper growled.

"No." He answered without a beat.

"Humans are stupid." Sizzi added sweetly.

"And impractical."

She glared and turned on her heels. "FINE. I'm done chasing after you, Reno! I practically _handed_ myself to you, and you _still_ pick the robots! I'M DONE!" She slammed the door on her way out. Reno blinked.

"Sizzi…what just happened?" One half-finished shoulder rose and fell in a shrug.

"I dunno." He smiled and continued working.

Around an hour later Cathy came through the door and smiled, her essence lighting up the room. "Hey Reno." She greeted. He nodded and she closed the door behind her, locking out the harsh wind and walked over to the work bench. Sizzi lit up when she saw her.

"Hi Cathy!"

"Hey, Sizzi!" she patted her head, earning a giggle. "Broken again?"

"Yep!"

"Pretty damn badly, too…" Reno sighed, beginning to assemble her forearm. Cathy winked, leaning against the thick wood.

"Eh, you couldn't live without her." They shared a smile before falling into silence. Sizzi began humming a random tune and Cathy found herself tapping to it absentmindedly. Soon Reno perked up.

"Have you heard anything on-"

"No."

He paused.

"Oh…"

Another pause.

"Don't worry yourself over it, Reno-"

"I think I have the right to worry over my own friends."

"That's not what I meant." Reno didn't look at her and she sighed. "Reno, you haven't left this workshop in almost three days. You need to have some interaction with other people." He didn't answer.

"Is Daddy broken…?" Sizzi whispered and her face turned to one of distress. Cathy smiled sadly, patting her shoulder.

"No, sweet heart. He's going through a human thing." The robot scrunched her face up.

"That's never good." She nodded, walking over to the shed door.

"I'll bring back some lunch if Hamegg bothers firing up the oven," she said quietly before exiting. Sizzi glanced to Reno's cast down face when the door squeaked shut.

"Are you going through human problems Daddy?" Reno smiled and nodded softly.

"Yeah. Nothing for you to worry about. Just some friends that meant a lot to me are missing."

They went quiet.

"…When humans are broken…they can't be put back together, can they?"

Reno looked up at her, frozen on the spot. He stuttered for his words, wondering what to say. "Uh, no…no, they can't be put back together, Sizzi…" She nodded thoughtfully.

"Even though they come with manuals when they're born?" she asked with a frown. Reno laughed, his mood lightening. The things he'd told that robot about how humans worked.

"Of course Sizzi," he smiled. "Of course."

* * *

><p>Marvel grinded his teeth at the smirking teenagers in front of him, gripping the carpet bag in his hand until his knuckles turned white. "I still don't know how you did it," he murmured, sighing in defeat and passing the bag over. Cora snatched it up, smiling at the heaviness. "But if you're in town again, I'd really, <em>really<em> like to see your robot beat up more of my contestants."

"Hm," Cora hummed in thought. "No." Marvel shrugged sheepishly.

"Eh, worth a shot." Zane clawed at the bag.

"Let me see, let me SEE!"

"Lay off, Zane!"

"Ten grand," Marvel breathed. "As promised. If you mind me asking, just because I've noticed some subtle traits like begging and clawing at money bags, were you guys broke before?" They glanced to each other and Cora bit her lip.

"…Yeah…" she mumbled. He nodded.

"But your robot is…extremely special. Why don't you sell him? It would be the most logical and financially satisfying option- and I know my money deals, trust me."

"Our situation is…unique." Cora explained mildly. "Let's leave it at that." Marvel nodded in respect, dusting his hands off.

"Well, it's been sort of a pleasure. Now I have to dig my ten tone robot out of the ground." With that he turned into the robot arena, yelling at hired workers who were standing by Zog with dazed faces.

Zane and Cora smiled, walking slowly back to the cabin. She thought for a bit before driving him down the main street. He frowned. "Where are we going?"

"We can't fix Atom with just a spanner. Let's just look in the tool shops for a bit, kay?" he nodded and they walked in silence for a bit, pushing past the excited people and shading their eyes from the patchy sun. The weather wasn't as hot and sticky as the day before but it still was warm, but a few clouds in the sky shaded them for the harsh rays. They soon pulled up to a mechanics store and the owner gave them a nod when they wondered in.

"…We're still with the plan, right?" he whispered into Cora's ear whilst she scanned the different electronic tools.

"Of course." She mumbled. Zane snorted.

"Yeah, bull shit we are." He earned a patronizing look from his best friend. "Like hell you could sell Atom when we get Widget and Sludge. You look at him as if he was your own kid."

"I look at every kid as if they were my own kid!"

"You don't look at me like that."

"You're not a kid, Zane."

"But I'm younger than you…." He gave a puppy dog face. She sent him a look.

"By barely a year!" She shooed him off and went back to shopping, dropping a few tools into a basket.

"But you hear what I'm saying, right? Atom is sticking with us."

"I'm sure when we get to the circus and remember how shit our life is, Zane, we'll sell him back to his owner in a heartbeat." Zane still looked doubtful, but didn't comment on the topic any further.

They ventured to a clothes store next and grabbed Atom a new pair of jeans and a standard t-shirt, Cora hoping that he'd like what she picked but at the same time if he didn't she couldn't really care less. Anyway it felt good to pass over a fifty dollar note without feeling the strain of financial crisis on their shoulders. For most of the afternoon Cora was in the cabin fixing Atom. Atom had passed out due to fatigue for most of it so she conversed with Flair about her work and who she was. At first Cora would admit to thinking that Flair was a pain in the neck, but once she knew about her background and spent the time talking to her she found she was actually quite relatable.

"_So what's your line of work?" she asked, tinkering with the scar across Atom's cheek. Flair stretched out on the old couch and rested a cheek on her palm, watching Cora work with interest._

_"I want to be a journalist, but I work as a police reporter. I just deliver news on criminals and gather knowledge to send it up to Metro City."_

"_Are you from Metro City?_

"_Kind of. I was found in Metro City. I was adopted by a police man." Cora paused for a second, switching tools and giving her a look of indifference. _

"…_You're adopted?" She shrugged._

"_Yeah, I guess." She lifted her chin up. "What about you and Zane?"_

"_Um…" Cora worried her lip between her teeth and felt a tighten in her chest. "I…became an orphan through a…fire."_

"_Oh geeze, I'm sorry." Flair furrowed her eyebrows and her face became one of empathy._

"_Don't be, it's in the past." Cora tried a strained smile. "Zane had always been an orphan. He was found in the garbage." Flair breathed through her nose and adjusted on the cushions. _

"_Messed up world, huh?" Cora nodded in agreement. Flair looked to Atom. "What's his story?" she asked._

"_You're the one who's the reporter."_

"_All I know is that he's a dangerous robot that needs to be destroyed." Cora blinked. She had almost forgot about the whole 'wanted' thing. She looked up to Atom's face and tried to come up with an explanation on his attitude and what kind of person he was._

"_Well…I don't know his story and neither does he, but I do know that he's extremely brave. And persistent. And he has a way to pick at your brain in a good way and a bad way." Flair smiled._

"_I get that vibe."_

Zane had gone out to get other supplies for their long trip ahead and came back with a patch-work bag filled with snacks, spare clothes and some other gadgets. Soon after Atom was as repaired as he could've been (the back of his knees were still exposed but no longer hurt and his cheek was fully mended) they woke him up and headed off to the ticket booth with Flair for the second time.

"Four tickets to Sparks." Cora demanded, not even bothering with the pleases. The sour man looked over his desk at the lot of them.

"Ahhh, the new champions, eh?" Cora slapped a hundred dollar note down.

"Tickets. Now." She was met with the first grin she had ever seen on him. He passed over the sickly green piece of paper.

"Yes ma'am." She gave a bemused smile and took them, leading the others to the station gates. She heard Flair say her thanks to him but was met with a sneer. She chuckled and walked along the concrete platform, sitting down at one of the long benches to be quickly met by Zane.

"So," he said, sliding next to her. "When does the train arrive?" She read the tickets with squinted eyes.

"Eleven." Zane groaned. Flair soon sat at the end of the bench with irritation buzzing around her.

"Take a load of that old grump, god…" Atom leaned against one of the pillars and glanced across the barren plain with the train tracks slicing through the grass.

"You gonna sit down, Atom?" Cora asked. He glanced to her but shook his head.

"It think it would be better to stand; try and get my legs back in order." She nodded.

For about an hour they waited there, sometimes bringing up a conversation but nothing varied too much from Zane's constant whining that the time was moving too slow. Cora still couldn't get a reaction form the Robot Games through Atom quite yet. She didn't really know what she was expecting, but for him to go straight back to his normal self seemed…off. He did appear a little more quiet this morning, but maybe Cora was overthinking things a little. He looked calm, and that was good.

In reality, under that calm composure, Atom was a complete mess. He barely had time to think that morning before they were rushed out the door and now on to their next destination. True, the Robot Games wasn't his first run in with death, but he still felt betrayed somehow. Felt truly a robot, something he thought he had accepted but obviously still bored a hole into his brain. His friends had used him to get money. Was he supposed to…let things go back to normal? Was he supposed to expect them to do it again? He saw the thoughts of selling him go through their minds more than once- it was rather obvious and he would've thought them idiots to not consider it. He swallowed heavily and his tongue felt heavy but he still would remain silent on the matter. It wasn't really up to him anyway.

After another half an hour the station began to pack up with people. Some would come up to Atom and murmur something about the Robot Games and Atom would be awkward from the admiration yet thank them, but most of the people waiting under the shelter were business folk in suits, obviously waiting to go to Sparks for their work.

It wasn't long before the sleek train slid into view and came to a stop at the waiting bay. Then it was a muddle of footsteps and movement as people pushed past each other to get the best carriages, a symphony of 'beep's filling the train halls as they scanned their tickets. Luckily there was no restriction when it came to robots, which Cora mentioned could be a problem when dealing with smaller forms of transportation. Soon they came to an empty double-seated carriage down near the end of the train next to the loading dock which was one transfer over.

Zane eagerly hauled the bags off his shoulders and stuffed them into the luggage compartment above the cherry velvet seat and collapsed in a boneless heap. Cora joined, sitting next to him and Flair took the seat opposite, stretching her legs out. Atom, seeing as no-one was bothered to move over for him, stood by the wall where a small window stretched thinly across the top, rimmed in golden metal.

"It certainly is a nice train," Cora complemented, looking around the pleasant design.

"Better be- we'll be in it for a whole day and night." Atom smiled. After a few minutes everything wobbled gently and the train began its journey to the next stop. Cora pulled the old map out of her shorts pocket and unfolded it with care- it was ripping at the corners.

"Okay, so we got off at…Green Fields. Then we walk straight on to Sparks."

"Can't wait to get to Sparks," Zane said with a toothy grin. "Did you hear what Scooter said? It's a casino heaven!"

"Well, we won't be there to bet, Zane. We're just passing by." The teenager's face dropped.

"Aw, comm'on," he whined. Flair's eyes twinkled at the mention of the city and she sat a little straighter on her seat.

"Sparks…I've been there before." She gestured widely. "There's lights everywhere on every street and building and almost every shop is a casino or bar. You can set off fireworks in the middle of the road, there's thumping music everywhere and some places let you eat for free." Cora was definitely becoming more intrigued now.

"…Couldn't hurt to stay a few hours," she mumbled into the crook of her neck. Zane gave a small cheer.

For about two hours they talked and chatted and Atom let Cora tinker a bit with his legs but he assured her that his rocket boots still worked fine. Flair told them more stories about her reports and missions in the police force and Cora and Zane listened with eager ears. Soon enough they fell into a comfortable silence, bodies swaying to the movement of the train's journey. Zane unsurprisingly fell asleep after a while and Flair had just excused herself to the bathroom.

"How much longer?" Cora mumbled, adjusting her head upon Zane's shoulder. Atom half smiled, still standing by the wall even though Flair's absence left an empty seat.

"It looks like late afternoon."

"You gonna need a spot to sleep?" she asked. Atom was slightly touched at her concern for his comfort but shook his head.

"I'll sleep on the floor." She nodded, resting her eyes for a few seconds.

But they quickly snapped open when an intruder slid into the carriage, her face red and flustered as if she'd been in a hurry. Her hair was golden and she wore a heavy black over coat but the snippets of a police uniform made Cora's eyes widen in concern. Atom flinched violently and Zane stirred. The new comer took one look at Atom and her whole face light up. She quickly slammed the door shut.

"Tobi!" she cried. Now Cora and Atom were really concerned. The women raced over to him, pulling him into a hug. The robot stuttered.

"Um…?"

"I've looked everywhere for you! God, where have you been?" she broke a part and quickly examined him. "Are you hurt? Are you-"

"Hey, hey, hey, HEY!" Cora yelled, standing up, making Zane choke on a snore and blink his eyes open with a dopey 'huh..?'. "Who they hell are you?" she snapped. The woman straightened up as if she hadn't even noticed there were others in the room.

"Alicia. And that's all that concerns you. Now, I'm sure that you have no idea about this robot but he's actually my little cousin. So-"

"Wait, _what_?" Atom and Cora were dumb found and Zane was just registering that this woman was a stranger.

"But…" Little calculations went off in Atom's head. "Y-you're Dr Tenma's…_niece_?"

"Wait, what's going on?" Zane asked.

"Yes, I'm Tenma's niece," she said with a small chuckle, as if Atom had asked if the earth did in fact rotate around the sun. "But you belong with me now."

"No, wait," Atom squeezed his eyes shut and placed a finger on his temple. "You're Dr Tenma's niece…but…I-I thought he didn't want me, or…" Alicia frowned, squatting down to meet Atom at eye level.

"Tobi…don't you remember me?" Atom shook his head.

"No, I don't. I'm sorry, but I'm not Tobi, I don't belong with Dr Tenma and I don't belong with you," he tried to be as polite as he could.

"Damn right," Cora spat. "We're his owners. And this is _Atom_." Alicia seemed to have trouble processing this information.

"You're memory's broken…" she breathed, looking troubled. Atom was feeling quite awkward by how upset the woman was just because he didn't know her. "But…" she held Atom's shoulders. "That doesn't matter. You have to come with me, to my father. He'll fix you're AI and everything will make sense. Don't worry, everything will turn out fine."

"What? Atom's leaving?" Zane was still catching on.

"Nah-uh!" Cora argued, standing broadly. "I'm sorry lady, but WE are Atom's official owners and you aren't taking him anywhere!"

"You don't understand the situation though!" The two women bared their teeth at each other. "Tobi is wanted by Metro City- they've been given strict orders to hunt him down and destroy him for safety reasons."

"We know."

"Then you're stupid to think that you can shield him from that," she snapped. "Tobi has always been in the possession of Tenma and considering I share that name I have the right to take him into my custody so-"

She was cut off by Flair bursting through the sliding door, panic written all over her face. "Guys, we have to- who the hell are you?" she frowned at Alicia.

"Tenma's niece Alicia, here to take Tobi to my father with m-"

"This lady won't get the message that Atom isn't going anywhere." Cora cut her off, crossing her arms.

"Wait, Tenma has a _brother_?" Flair's eyes bulged. Before Alicia could answer Atom spoke up.

"What were you so wound up about, Flair?"

"Oh, yeah," she bopped her palm against her head. "The wanted posters of Atom have gone viral- there're some on _this_ _train_. A police officer is making his patrol."

"_Shit_."

"I told you that you couldn't protect him on your own!" Alicia growled. "If you would actually listen to someone with common sense then maybe-"

**SLAM!**

Atom gasped and Zane lurched forward when Cora swiftly whipped out a spanner and slammed it against Alicia's skull. With a roll up of her eyes she dropped to the floor like a sack of flour. Flair didn't seemed fazed at the act of violence, just annoyed. "Oh, great. Now even if we hide the police will be everywhere when they see the body."

"Whatever. Where can we hide?" Flair opened the door.

"Follow me." Cora nodded and stepped over Alicia's body with Zane on her tail but turned when a third set of feet didn't follow. Atom was standing there, mouth open, still staring at Alicia.

"Um, Atom?"

"Y-you just…knocked her out…"

"Eh, she'll be fine," Zane smiled, grabbing his arm and pulling him around her. "I think." Atom looked like he was going to be sick. The four ducked their heads out of the carriage, looking down the narrow halls adorned with red carpet and long windows, spilling in light. Zane squeaked when a police officer looked up from checking in a few carriages over. He narrowed his eyes at them before looking to a flimsy sheet of paper.

"Ohhhh crap…" When his face scrunched in urgency Atom found himself being shoved out and down the hall.

"Run, RUN, RUN!"

Bolting on command, Atom fled down the corridor with Cora, Zane and Flair on his tail. He heard the police officer yell after them and even more steps bounded against the carpet. "WHAT NOW?" Zane screeched, quickening his pace.

"JUST KEEP RUNNING!" Flair answered. Atom gritted his teeth when an obstacle in the form of a frosted glass door appeared up ahead. With a grunt he burst through it, eyes growing in regret when the sound of classical music hit his ears.

About fifty people all placed at pleasantly set tables all looked up at him. Great. The buffet carriage. Getting pushed forward by Cora he sprinted forward, jumping up onto one of the tables in his way. The people screamed in fury as the four snapped plates and spilt wine and the havoc only increased when three officers bounded in, shooting at the four a few times before deciding against it in case they hit innocents. "Sorry!" Atom said meaninglessly, almost hitting someone in the head as he leapt onto more tables. Flair reached the second door first, throwing it open and grabbing Zane's collar and chucking him through. Atom felt someone grab his shoulder from behind him and his eyes widened when he noticed it was an officer.

"LAY OFF!" Cora screamed, arching her back and striking the man chin-up with her spanner. Atom basked in awe before Cora grabbed his arm and shoved him forward. "GO!" They both jumped through into another corridor, catching up with Flair and Zane. The robot's eyes narrowed at two figures at the very end of the hall- he couldn't exactly make them out yet but…one had a long sweeping black fringe and the other had choppy brown hair with a duck printed on her shirt…

_The two from the Scarlet Lakes…at the Bets stall…what are they doing here?_

He knew he wouldn't have time to think of an answer when the officers barraged after them, ignoring the yells and complaints from the diners. "Is that the end of the train?!" Zane screeched to a stop at the foot of the door, looking through the musky glass with a squint of his eyes.

"There should be a storage carriage at the end!" Flair more of hoped then pointed out. The two characters huddled in the corner didn't seem startled by the situation unraveling in front of them, almost freakishly still.

"We'll take the chance," Cora said quickly, charging forward and flung the door open, revealing the icy cold air ripping in the wind. Without thinking the teenager stepped onto the greasy gauge, almost slipping. But flair gripped her shoulder and she breathed a 'thank you', her heart pounding. After cracking the steel door open she climbed into the last carriage- indeed it was a supply one, filled with boxes. Flair practically threw Zane over and pushed Atom forward, weary of the officers catching up.

"Hurry!" she hissed, shoving Atom into the carriage. Cora steadied him and when he found his footing he turned and reached out a hand for Flair. But one of the police officers leaned out and grabbed her arm. Flair tried hitting back but she wobbled dangerously on the slippery iron.

"FLAIR!" Cora yelled, making a move to jump for her but Atom held her back.

"No, don't!"

They both jolted up to the sound of bones snapping. Flair let out a shriek when the girl from the hall with the black fringe (and now that Atom got a better look she had white tipped spikes as well) took the officer in a head lock and _snapped his neck_. "WHAT THE HELL?" Flair gasped. Atom grabbed her arm and hauled her onto the carriage. The other girl, who didn't seemed fazed, picked up the officer's weapon and shot the gauge connecting the train. She dropped the gun immediately when the other officers caught up and Atom could hear her complaining about the services and safety on the train while the black haired one sent then a look of acknowledgment. Like she had just done a job she was sent out to do. That made Atom all the more weary.

But he couldn't be concerned about that now because the carriage was moving away from the train. They all stumbled violently as the train shot ahead like a bullet and disappeared around the curve. "GREAT!" Zane growled, gripping the wall for stability. "Now what?!"

"How am I supposed to know?!" Flair snapped.

"We have to jump." Atom said suddenly. They all looked to him as if he'd gone insane.

"WHAT?!"

"If we let the carriage move back down the track for too long then we'll lose precious time we could be travelling on foot," he explained over the roar of the wheels and wind. They looked to each other nervously.

"We'll die," Flair scoffed, obviously rejecting the idea.

"We have no choice," Cora said surprisingly easily, stepping over to Atom and flicking him out of the way, pulling open a side roller door, careful not to stumble and fall out. Forest scenery blurred past at a hundred miles per hour, the air whipping the sides of the carriage, making it shiver. Cora looked to Atom, who held out his hand.

"I can maybe try and make the fall softer." She grimaced.

"But your legs…and your feet-"

"I can do it." She was met with fiercely determined eyes. After a swallow she nodded and grabbed his hand, turning to the others.

"Come on. We can do this." Zane and Cora had an argument through facial expressions before he sighed in defeat, taking hold of Atom's other hand.

"We're going to die." Cora rolled her eyes, extending her hand to a distrusting Flair.

"Come one Flair. We have to hurry." She shook her head.

"NO. Y-you're all insane. I didn't sign up for this. Y-you've led me into this death trap."

"And now we're trying to get you out of it." She reached further. "_Take my hand_." She pursed her lips, shuffling on her feet.

"N-no."

"FLAIR."

"We're going to die!"

Cora ripped her hand out of Atom's and charged to Flair, grabbing her shoulders securely. "Flair, if we die, then we die. We don't have to worry about shit anymore. But if we stay on this carriage then it'll take infinitely more time to get to where we want and I need to get _home_." She straightened up, releasing her and instead holding out her hand. "So, will you trust us?" Flair stared at her for a long while, just breathing heavily and Cora could see the millions of thought go through her head. After a while a trusty palm met hers. She gripped it tight. "Don't let go."

Atom nodded to the two who joined the line of lost Surface Dwellers. They all faced the racing world. Atom took a breath. "On three?"

"Why not?"

"One…."

"We're gonna die, we're gonna die…"

"Two…"

"We're gonna die, oh god we're gonna die…"

"THREE!"

They all leapt forward and Atom tried with all his might to get his rocket boots to activate, and after a few terrifying seconds of nothing they suddenly ignited in a brilliant burst of fire and the string of people seemed to hop off of the whisks of air. For a glorious moment they hovered, though quite awkwardly, safely in the air, before the rockets glitched and gave out entirely. With a scream from Flair and many curses from Cora the four went tumbling to the ground, hitting the hill and rolling several times before hitting the stumps of forest trees.

For a minute they all laid there, out of breath and hearts racing, watching the runaway carriage continue down its endless path. Atom groaned and climbed to his feet, legs shaky. "S-sorry…" he gasped out. Flair was shaking all over, eyes as wide as saucers.

"W…w-we're alive…" she quivered. Atom raised an eyebrow and flinched when someone punched him.

"Nice piloting, Captain Crash," Cora growled, rubbing her neck with a wince.

"Sorry," Atom said sheepishly.

"We're _alive_…"

"That was the most James Bond thing I've ever done in my life," Zane said with a grin, getting to his feet and straining his back. Flair just about jumped ten feet in the air.

"WE'RE ALIVE!" she hugged a rather startled Atom. "I CAN'T BELIVE WE'RE ALIVE! Oh my god, I thought I was a goner! But…but…THANK YOU!" Atom squeaked when she squeezed him.

"I told you to trust us," Cora smirked. Zane scratched his head, looking to where the train had left off. After a while he let out a cry.

"NOOOOO!" he wined, falling to his knees. Flair and Cora frowned at him.

"What?"

"OUR MONEY!" he mourned. "IT'S STILL ON THE TRAIN!"

"Oh _fuck_!" Flair let go of the poor robot and joined in their misery.

"You mean we have no money? _Again_?" Cora buried her head in her hands, feeling like she should just give up on life.

"And our books and tools and…oh crap balls…"

"How are we supposed to get to Sparks _now_?" Zane asked, rightfully pissed off at the situation.

"We walk." They all looked to Atom.

"_What_?"

"It'll take a long time, sure, but it's the only way. Maybe we can oddly hitch hike on the way."

"_Walk_? From here to _Sparks_? How long will that even _take_ us?" Zane asked.

"Around two-three days," Atom answered without missing a beat. They all shared glances of varied worn out nature. Atom merely shrugged. "Better get going?" Cora growled under her breath, leading the long walk onward. Zane's eyes bulged out.

"You're kidding…" Cora didn't intend on stopping, walking at a pleasant pace along the base of the hill. Atom smiled, joining her and Flair awkwardly jogged to catch up. "Are you guys SERIOUS?"

"What choice do we have, Zane?" Cora called over her shoulder.

"Go back to Scarlet Lakes and make Atom kick robot butt for money again?"

"NO."

"Aww, come on!" They didn't answer, still walking ahead. Zane groaned, lamely following. "We'll just make him fight the tiger!" No answer. "The dude with the chain saw? Scavengers?! HELLOOOOOO?!"

Cora smirked, shaking her head and looking up to the slowly darkening sky, continuing down the slowly growing path ahead of her.


	12. Lifeless

**11: LIFELESS**

Weather was definitely one of the many things that seemed to be against the four as they travelled. The wind was biting and the clouds were low and grey. The ditch at the side of the track was their only sense of direction, but when they came to a fork in the rails they had to go by sheer luck. It wasn't a very comforting thought. 'Luck' was something Cora and Zane weren't very familiar with. There were no houses or people, just whispers of civilization- a barbed fence here, an old tracker there. The conversations were small, the moods were bitter.

And then it rained. It rained, and rained, and rained.

It was Flair's first night homeless and it definitely showed. She complained and pouted and grumbled as they all huddled themselves underneath a forgotten tarp strapped to the roof of a locked barn. Wet hay stuck to their hair and clothes. Cora was deathly afraid of Atom's exposed legs. This was a new kind of rain to Atom. It was harsh and scary and not something he felt the urge to dance in. Flair pulled the sorry excuse for a roof over her more whilst tapping on her phone. Her hair was almost as stiff as the straw.

"The reception is horrible right now." She struggled to speak over the roar of the storm, but had the group's attention. "But I can get the status of the Metro Police. Atom's still wanted but there's no patrols in Green Fields. Just a few searches and posters in some rugged towns. For something as serious as this, they're keeping it very hush-hush."

"What about Alicia?" Zane asked. Flair tapped for a few seconds before shaking her head.

"Nothing. No news on her. In fact…" she searched some more and a frown dripped onto her face. "No news at all. This Alicia chick has barely any records. For a supposed member of Metro City, she sure is more of a ghost than a person on paper."

"Why did she want me?" Atom asked. The rain let down enough for them to not have to shout. "How did she know all that, my creator, Tobi…?" Zane shrugged, Flair didn't answer and Cora stared out to the paddocks.

"She said she was Tenma's niece," Zane mentioned, "perhaps she knew you before your memory got fried."

"I doubt it," Flair scoffed. "I know all the files on Tenma and I don't remember any family. Definitely not a niece. Maybe she's just some crack-head police girl who saw how much you're worth and wanted to coon you into going with her." She threw her hands behind her head, realized how uncomfortable it was and settled on pouting again.

"She said she wanted to protect me," Atom mumbled. Zane snorted.

"Yep, definite crack-head."

"I think we should be focusing on who the hell those two girls were," Cora muttered, turning her head back to the group. A fresh spray of water dripped down her cheeks and she was shaking. Her short ended clothes weren't doing anything to shield her from the cold. "One of the snapped someone's _neck_." They all basked in the surreal-ness their little road trip was diving into for a minute.

"I saw them in Scarlett Lakes," Atom spilled. Cora's eyes widened.

"What?"

"At the Betting Stall. They seemed to have won a lot of money." He paused for a second. "They also knew about Tenma…" Everyone showed different levels of shock.

"Why didn't you tell this sooner?" Cora snapped. The harshness of her tone ignited something in Atom, something he thought he'd gotten over.

"Well I'm sorry I wasn't feeling very talkative after getting almost killed by robots!"

"I said I was sorry!"

"Because you have a parent complex, not because you care for a robot!"

"Cora!" Cora raised her hand, intending to strike, but halted when Zane scolded her name. A minute of glaring was ended with the sulking girl bunching her legs up and returning her gaze to the flooded paddocks. No one spoke after that.

The night dragged on. The sky was a starless, black void of cold and only Flair and Zane got a few winks of sleep. Atom and Cora sat next to each other, backs against the rusted steel, one stoic and one shaking like a wet dog. The rain was slacking, but it still felt like it was bringing death upon the teens. They stayed in silence for a few minutes, listening to the drops against the tarp. Not even Zane was making a sound tonight.

The tension was unbearable. Cora had cooled down but the robot was still acting as if it had been struck.

"…about the Robot Games," she started, voice small. She took a long pause. "I'm sorry. I'm sorry we used you like that." Atom lifted his head and his glassy brown eyes stared at her and she didn't look away. "I know what it's like to feel used. Living at Hamegg's…" she trailed off.

There was another long moment of nothing but rain. "I'm sorry I behaved like that. I understand that robots are used. I understand that I have to get used to that." Cora didn't know if that was an 'apology accepted' or not. Probably not. "Cora, are you and Zane going to sell me?"

Her head snapped up. "What?"

Atom turned away. He scooted his legs up to his chest and stared at his hands. "I understand if you do. It would be smart." Cora stared at him.

"Yes, it would. You seem to understand a lot of things." His eyes looked so _sad_. Cora had thought she wanted Atom to become more aware of being a robot, to become more obedient to his true nature. But now that he was…"Atom, what would you want us to do?" Atom immediately bristled. He stared at Cora from his hunch, judging whether it was a trick question and after realizing it wasn't, he stared at the damp ground.

"Not abandon me." His voice was barely above a whisper. "You're my friends. At least I thought…" his pause was the equivalent of a choke. Cora's heart broke and she scooted closer, enveloping the small robot's frame. If he were human, he would be trembling, but under her touch his skin was smooth and cold. She inhaled shakily.

"I can't protect you from other people's view of robots, Atom," she said softly. She squeezed his shoulders. "But maybe I can change mine."

They fell asleep leaning against each other.

The next morning was far more chipper. The rain stopped and the grass and trees were glazed with a second skin of droplets. Flair finally stopped complaining when they found a sign that read Green Fields and that it was only about a day and night's walking away. They left the security of the train tracks and adopted a new path of dirt roads and muddy paths. It reminded Cora and Zane of their truck ride from Autumn.

Atom would run ahead and ignite his boots, hover for a second, clumsily land and repeat. Cora screeched at him the first few times, afraid that his legs would give out, but soon gave up. There was no stopping that crazy kid, and it proved to be quite entertaining when he face-palmed the earth. It also gave the other three time to discuss other matters.

"Dammit," Flair hissed. She had pulled out her phone and was now glaring at it. "No reception. I can't contact the police force."

"At least we know no-one will bother us out here," Zane said, stretching his arms above his head. All their clothes were still damp and Zane's cheap leather jacket was starting to shrink at the small of his back.

As the wind picked up, the four traveled into a tiny town lined with apple trees. They stole a couple off of branches looming over fences, feeding their grumbling stomachs. Around them wasn't much. A large cream farm house that was peeling at the edges and couple more houses with a small general store further down the road. With their feet sore from walking most of the day and another storm looming in the clouds, they eagerly knocked on the door.

"This is so rude," Flair muttered. "I can't believe I'm degraded to _begging_ from complete-"

She shut up with an open of the door and a jab of Cora's elbow. The face of a middle aged lady filled the crack in the doorway. Her face was framed with poorly kept, over grown copper hair and her cobalt eyes were surrounded by worry lines. Those same eyes widened when she saw the shivering lot in front of her.

"Hello," she stammered.

"Miss, we're very sorry to intrude," Zane started, "but it's cold as balls out here and-" Cora put her elbow to use for the second time, silencing him.

"We really need a place to maybe dry off?" she tried. When the lady did nothing but stare at her and pressed on. "Please? We're so sorry to do this, but we're homeless and cold and-"

"Oh, of course," she said finally, opening up the door. It didn't do much, as her hefty figure took up half of the door frame. Her eyes creased with empathy. "You poor dears, of course you can come in. My husband's just made some soup."

Inside was blissfully warm and cozy. A potbelly fire was burning in the corner of the lounge room. The décor was miss-matched and mostly homemade- knitted blankets and pillow cases, carpets and kettle warmers. Small ornaments lined the shelves and a basket of apples was by the kitchen counter.

Introductions were swell. It turns out they had stumbled into the home of Mr and Miss Morrison. They were both very nice people and judging by the countless more baskets filled with apples, they were the ones who owned most of the land around the town. Tomato soup was poured and served to the misfits around the couches, and that's when the trouble started.

Miss Morrison was at first confused when Atom didn't ask for any soup and before Cora could calmly explain why, she noticed his legs. Her face had whirled into an unholy _screech_ and her husband fled into the room. "_Look at his legs, he's hurt!_" she had screamed. Cora simply stated that he was just a robot in need of better repairs.

That's when it got really bad.

At the sheer mention of 'robot', Miss Morrison froze. Her lip tremored. "That's a robot?" she whispered.

"_Yes_," Cora urged, angry at how quickly the peaceful evening was turning sour. Miss Morrison dropped the serving bowl of soup, and red liquid making the carpet instantly sticky. She stared at Atom as if she he were the devil and that she was about to beat him with a cross. Atom looked as if he might pass out from fear.

"Out."

And that was the end of the Morrison's for them. Stepping out onto the dirt again, they kicked stones as they walked. "Cow," Cora muttered under her breath.

"We should've offered to keep Atom outside," Zane grumbled, shouldering off his jacket and passing it to Cora who had started shaking again. Atom immediately felt guilty about the situation.

Cora scoffed. "I wouldn't want to sleep in that house. Cow."

"You said that," Flair glared.

"Well it's true."

"She sounded more like a bull," Zane added.

"She probably would've charged at Atom."

"Yeah, you're _face_!" the boy laughed at the robot. It turned into a light-hearted moment, and Atom gratefully felt better.

After passing the general store, Cora quickly stole one of the jackets off of the models. Now Zane had his jacket back and Cora was no longer a shaking mess. It turns out that no-one lived in the other newly renovated houses. They were all for real-estate and all of them were locked and fitted with alarms. It seemed like another night outside. They walked further and further, leaving the town behind them. No rain was falling yet and their clothes had fully dried from the previous storm, but they still walked quickly and hoped not to be caught off guard.

They passed two signs. One said that Green Fields was only perhaps half a day away. The next read that they had entered a camping ground. It didn't look like much of one. A massive pine forest didn't look like the fanciest place to pitch a camper van. But luck was on their side when they almost tripped over an abandoned camping site. It was almost pitch black among the trees, but when they got the small fire pit alight their eyes glossed over.

A slightly crooked but totally usable tent was set up by the thick trunks. Even better, a backpack was left behind. Half a bag of marshmallows, a book of short stories and ten bucks was there's to keep.

Zane straightened the tent more to the left for the hundredth time. "Zane, leave the freaking tent alone." Zane paid no attention, narrowing his eyes before leaning it to the right. Cora rolled her eyes. She was sharing the bag of marshmallows with Flair. Flair was burning hers over the fire, but Cora sat away from it, her back against the tree trunk. Being completely sober around the flames wasn't doing well for her.

Atom had his nose in the book that was left behind. Judging by his frowns, he was halfway through 'The Emperor's New Clothes'.

"So, only a couple hours until we reach Green Fields," Zane smiled, finally leaving the tent be.

"It seems," Flair said through a mouthful of marshmallow.

"Then Sparks," he grinned, falling onto his back and staring up at the starless sky. "I can't wait." A quiet moment passed before Cora shuffled forward next to Atom. She took the book and flicked through it, finding 'The Twelve Dancing Princesses'.

"Here," she said, passing it back. "It's better, trust me." Atom gave a small nod and continued reading.

Zane fell asleep first, slumping hallway into the tent. Atom followed suit, squeezing into the small space. He adorably tried to be modest enough to not take up much space, but Zane flung an unconscious arm over him and there the two boys slept, snuggling.

Flair looked at them both and snorted. The fire had smothered into an ashen glow and Cora slowly crawled out from her spot. Hesitantly she slid next to Flair, tense, as if to test the water. But Flair didn't show any discomfort so Cora relaxed. Even though she'd only known Flair for a few days, she felt comfortable around her and thankfully Flair seemed to feel the same way.

They sat in comfortable silence for a while. Cora had found herself doing more of that lately, just sitting with her friends in the quiet. It was different, but she liked it. Liked the peace.

Flair broke it. "You kids aren't bad. I mean, you're all batshit crazy, but good. You're a good team."

"Do you like being a part of it?" Flair thought for a moment.

"Yeah." She sounded surprised at herself. "Yeah, I actually do." Cora licked her lips as she stared up to the canopy of the trees.

"…would you want to stay with us?" before she could catch the look on her face she flustered. "I know the deal was that you get to rat Atom out when we reach our location in exchange for safety, but…I don't know, forget it…"

"Are you asking me to stay? Like, forever wise?"

Cora squirmed. "Where we're going isn't…ideal, but we're planning on changing that." Now her head was reeling. What was she doing? Plans upon plans were crumbling down in her mind. She and Zane planned to sell Atom and run away to Metro City. But now they were attached to Atom. Flair was only supposed to stay with them until they got back to the circus. But now they were attached to Flair.

She didn't know anymore. She didn't know what she wanted. Her entire world was becoming this small group around her. Reno, Cathy, the twins…they were fading further and further into the background of her mind. She wanted everyone and no-one. Everything and nothing.

She seriously needed to talk with Zane.

"Planning for change, huh?" Flair said, shaking Cora out of her thoughts.

"Don't worry about it," she said quickly, jerking to her feet. Flair might've been offended by the sudden drop of conversation, but didn't show it if she was. Cora slinked into the caress of bodies squeezed into the flimsy tent and fell into a troubled, fitful sleep.

* * *

><p>Fog pooled around the forest, thick and grey. Cora and Zane didn't know how early it was in the morning when the troubled girl shook the sleeping teen awake and dragged him a few feet from the camp. Flair was curled around the fire pit and Atom was deep in slumber.<p>

"Ow! Jesus, Cora, what do you want?" They both skidded to a drop behind one of the many trees.

"We need to talk," she said firmly. Zane adjusted his jacket and bed hair.

"About what?" he asked distractedly.

"Everything," she urged. "Like what we're going to do with Atom. And Flair."

"I thought we had figured both those out," Zane said, rolling the tightness out of his shoulders. Obviously his brain was still in morning mode.

"You know we can't sell Atom! _I_ finally figured that out," she sighed hotly. "I don't think we could've given him up from the start." She mumbled the last part. Zane waited for her to continue. "So, what do we do? At this rate, we're all back at the circus with the police on our back along with several psychopaths, spending the rest of our lives in slave labor and watching Atom get beaten to pieces by Hamegg."

Zane stared into space before exhaling slowly. "Well…when you put it like _that_…"

Cora scoffed at their situation. "And to think this all started with pleasing Hamegg with an intact robot." Zane snorted.

"Yeah, talk about 'times of our lives'." Silence enclosed them, eerie with the added effect of the fog.

**SNAP.**

They both flinched to the sound of twigs snapping. Cora's eyes grew wide. "What was that?" Zane didn't have an answer. Stepping out from behind the tree, Cora looked at the sleeping figures of Flair and Atom.

"Probably an animal," Zane said cooly, shoving his hands in his pockets. "So, you want to start heading o-"

**SNAP. CRUNCH.**

The supposed 'animal' had a very heavy foot fall. Speaking of which, what animals would be out here? Foxes? Possum? They hadn't even heard any birds during the entire night. Cora narrowed her eyes but couldn't see anything more than ten feet ahead of her. Working on instinct, she stepped over to Atom. She shook him lightly.

"Atom," she called. The robot groaned, digging his face into the empty backpack he was using as a pillow. That was the extent of politeness for this morning. A good kick to the side drew more attention. Atom choked on a shout, twisting his head to glare at her.

"What are you-?"

Cora pressed a hand over his mouth, motioning for him to listen. Before the snapping of wood reached her ears Atom was already flinching from something only he could sense. Cursing her for her rude wake-up call was suddenly the last thing on his mind. He stared at Cora and shook his head. That was all the warning she needed.

Zane who'd watched the exchange, zipped his lips shut. Now was the challenge of waking Flair without making a sound.

**SNAP.**

Palms starting to sweat, Cora crept over to the young adult's body and lightly tapped her. Flair stirred, but nothing else. Zane silently squatted down next to Atom, who was still idle and alert. "What do you hear?" he whispered. The robot continued to listen for a moment until his face was punched with panic.

"A gun loading."

Flair yelped as Cora dug her thumb into her neck and all hell broke loose. The careful crunching of leaves turned into a crackling sprint towards them. Cora pulled Flair up as Zane and Atom were already on the move. "W-wha-?"

"JUST RUN!" Cora threw Flair into motion. A bullet nipped the side of a tree trunk, sending splinters and wood dust into their faces. Their legs moved faster on impulse and they caught up to the others, all running for their lives. The footsteps became numerous and was joined with shouting and radio static. Cora heard Flair yell something about the Police Force, but Cora's ears were ringing with too much panic to hear coherent words. She pushed herself deeper into the depths of the forest, barely scraping under branches and skimming over stumps.

The fog was getting thinner and the officers were getting closer. Bullets sprayed from within the thicket of the trees and Cora's heart stopped with every pull of the trigger. _Don't get shot, don't get shot, don't get shot_, she repeated over and over because couldn't focus on anything else. Nothing else but the fear and dread.

Atom was holding back so he wouldn't be leaving the others in the dust. One hand was gripped tight on Zane's jacket collar, making sure that even if he tripped he could keep up. Cora took that inspiration and grabbed Flair's shoulder, propelling her forward. "Keep running," she gasped, breaths getting torn from her throat. It wasn't like Flair was going to do anything else, but that was all Cora could muster.

Atom was darting between the trees as another wave of gunfire rained upon them. The officers weren't catching up but it was a shallow hope in Cora's mind. Her legs were starting to strain. It felt like hours before they properly caught up with Zane and Atom, nipping at their heels. They didn't know where they were running and they didn't know when they would stop but their legs kept roaring on because they were _not_ going to die today.

More bullets. More shouting.

Atom yelled something and Cora looked up, mind taken off of her burning legs. A chaparral of bushes and twisting branches was up ahead and judging by the increase in speed, Atom was determined to go straight into it. The thunder of gunfire chased them. Some bullets Cora could've sworn brushed against her cheek. If she had been shot already, she didn't know.

They all ducked and skidded into the underbrush and she heard Flair make a strange noise, something between a hiss and a cry. A branch had cut her cheek and just the sight of the blood pushed all the breath out of Cora's lungs. They pushed and charged and fought their way through the wall of prods and thorns and were met with a fence up ahead, the end of the camping ground.

Flair was falling behind. Cora grunted as she pulled the larger girl ahead. "Keep going," she gasped, "keep going." Flair sobbed and stumbled. "Flair," Cora choked. Flair's leg was starting to drag. Cora saw a flash of red when next time she looked down and realized that something was wrong. The young adult could barely hold herself up.

At the harrowing sound of more bullets Cora pulled Flair's arm over her shoulder and half-carried her towards Atom and Zane. The offenders were stuck behind the bushes but their bullets still tore through, more than ever before. Flair bit down screams as her body was strained. "Cora!" she heard Atom yell. The boys were both forced to wait until they caught up. "Take my hand!"

The robot's palm served as a glowing beacon to the girl. As she moved onwards, carrying Flair completely now, she felt a fire ignite on the side of her leg. She would've gasped if her lungs allowed it. The mere shock made her stumble. Before she could think about pain, she reached out, getting closer and closer until finally, blissfully, their hands met and they were all rocketing into the air. The air ripped past them and the world blurred. The sound of guns were lost to the wind. Cora's body was so tired and aching- yep, her leg was definitely bleeding- but she held onto Flair like her life depended on it.

In a few seconds they tumbled onto the harsh grass. Cora rolled a few times before slumping. The sound of harsh breathing was all they could hear for a few minutes. Atom was bent over on shaking legs. The flight obviously had taken a lot out of him. Flair was lying on her back, looking up to the sky and Zane was attempting to sit up.

"Is…is everyone alright?" Atom asked.

"Are they still following us?" Zane choked out. His whole face was red and wet.

They all glanced around. They didn't know how far they had travelled, but no gunfire or footsteps could be heard. Hills surrounded them, rolling into the distance, unnaturally green against the grey sky. Thunder was the only thing that answered Zane's question.

"I don't think so," Atom swallowed. Cora looked down to her leg. Her left one was bleeding, but not as bad as she had thought. Just a scrape, either from a bullet or a tree. She ripped an under layer of her jacket off and tied the wound up. Atom made a move towards her but she held out her hand.

"I'm fine," she said, glad that her voice was less breathless.

"No you're bloody not, Cora!" Zane saw the dark crimson dripping onto the grass and went white. "Look at your leg, you've been shot!"

"Grazed."

"It still looks bad," Atom said, helping her up. Zane followed suit, scrambling to his feet.

"It doesn't matter. I don't care how far we've gone from the forest. We need to keep moving." At Atom's nod she looked over to Flair. She was still lying there, staring at the charcoal sky. "Flair, are you hurt?"

No answer. Swallowing, Cora walked over and knelt down by her legs. Lifting one up, she winced. Blood was coaxing them, but she couldn't see any bullet hole. Flair didn't respond to her inspection, probably still in shock. "Flair, can you move anything? What hurts the most? Your leg?"

"Uh…" Cora looked up to see Atom standing over both of them. He had a strange expression on his face. "Cora…?"

"What?"

Atom was silent. Either he didn't have the words or didn't want to use them. He face was sickly. He was staring at Flair's eyes. Slowly, Cora did the same.

Blank. Flair was staring at the sky but her eyes were empty. Un-blinking. Lifeless.

Cora's mouth was replaced with cotton. She struggled to say something. The one who did say something was Zane, who walked up. "_Shit_." And that pretty much summed it up.

Shaking with disbelief, Cora curled her fingers under her shoulder, and turned her over. Zane openly gagged and covered his mouth, Cora's mouth went dryer and Atom was silent. What met their eyes was a grotesque, blood-soaked mess. Bullets were buried into the skin, flesh was torn and blood was gushing. Cora jerked away from the body with a swallowed scream. She had carried Flair on her back. She had unintentionally used her as a human shield. Flair was probably dead before she took Atom hand-

_Oh god. Oh god oh god oh god_. Cora took her hair into her hands and pulled. _Flair's dead. A person is dead. Flair, my friend, is dead. _An ugly wail finally escaped from her lips. "Oh my g-" Her breath was ragged and cut off her voice. The last thing she remembers is the sound of Zane hurling and feeling Atom pull her from the ground.

After that, it was blurred. Cora remembers Atom saying something along the lines of '_we have to go_,' and '_I know, Cora, I know_.' She remembers crying like she was seven again. She remembers being carried. She remembers the first road they'd seen in ages. She remembers a white hot burn of head lights blinding her eyes. And then she remembers darkness.

* * *

><p>"<em>CORA!"<em>

_The tiny girl flicks her head towards the burning house. It used to be quite grand, with its' cream wood walls matching the picket fence, and the three stories of time and brilliance. Now all used to feed the monster, eating away at the wood with its flames._

_Then she saw it._

_Someone in the window. _

"_Mummy? Daddy?"_

_No._

_Not just her father or mother. Flair was standing next to them, blood dripping from her nose and ears and mouth. Her eyes aren't pleading, like her mothers. Aren't terrified, like her fathers._

_They are completely blank. And like that they will remain. _

"_CORAAA!"_

_The echoing screams ringed in her ears. She felt a hand on her shoulder. She looked up to Atom, whose glassy eyes reflected the suffering._

_She didn't want to feel it anymore. _

"_I need to join them." Atom didn't react. He stared on. Cora took a step forward onto the burning grass only for the grip on her shoulder to tighten. She glared at the robot. "Let me go." Atom didn't listen and started to pull her back._

"_COOORRRAAA!"_

_The screams were getting more desperate. "Let me go!" she wrenched out of his grasp and ran towards the door. Atom seemed always right behind her, trying to drag her away. She as reduced to screaming very quickly. "LEAVE ME ALONE! I NEED TO HELP THEM! I'M NOT STAYING HERE FOR YOU!"_

_It was all in vain, because her parents still told her they loved her, Flair was still lifeless, and the house still came crashing down._

* * *

><p>Cora awoke with a sharp intake of breath. The first things she registered was a comfy seat and the sound of windscreen wipers. A car. She was in a car. She blinked and tried to move, but the pain in her leg and the seat belt kept her immobile. Zane was quick to come to her attention.<p>

"Cora, holy shit, are you okay?" he asked in hushed tones. Cora licked her lips a couple of times.

"Where are we?" she asked, her voice defeated.

"Your friends asked for a ride," called the driver, who was a young man with over-grown stubble and a suit. "You looked pretty beaten up. Are you okay?" The teen looked down to her now properly bandaged leg.

"We're on our way to a bus stop that'll take us to Sparks." Cora looked to the other side of her where Atom was resting. The soft rain pattered on the glass window.

"Thank you," she murmured to the driver who nodded his head in a '_no worries_'.

They didn't talk during the whole trip, only to wake Atom up when they reached Green Fields. The gutter sprayed water at them as they all got out and thanked the driver and then sat themselves on an old wooden bench, just barely shaded from the rain.

They were silent as the hours dragged on, as the people walked by and as the rain kept falling. When the bus did come it was a shabby thing, leaning to one side and taped together. Using the ten bucks from the camping site, Cora bought them all a seat and continued to watch the dripping landscapes from the window.

* * *

><p>Reno wasn't doing anything new. He was in the work shop with Sizzi by his side. It was raining, although softly, and he found the best way to keep the hyperactive robot safe was to keep an unyielding eye on her.<p>

This wasn't easy considering the robot couldn't keep still.

"What does this do?"

"THAT'S AN ELETRIC DRILL AND I WOULD FEEL COMFORTABLE IF YOU WOULD PUT IT DOWN."

Their lovely bonding moment was interrupted by the door opening. A young teenager with short, burning red hair and pale skin walked in. She was completely drenched, and that was no surprise considering what she took for clothes. Her jeans were shredded and her shirt was no different. At least she had the sense to put on her favorite leather jacket.

"Ash," Reno addressed, in the middle of wrestling the power tool out of Sizzi's grip. "Finally out of the Monkey Cage, I see." She murmured something deadly under her breath. Ash was renowned for getting on Hamegg's every nerve. Some even said that the reason she stays at the circus is to constantly piss him off.

"I'll get away with it next time."

"Mmmm," Reno nodded sarcastically, "I'm sure the boss will never notice his very own top hat has been taken off his head."

"Shut up. He probably has a whole wardrobe of identical copies." She lit a match seemingly out of nowhere and Sizzi's attention was instantly obtained and she let go of the drill to stare in awe. This unfortunately sent Reno stumbling backwards and crashing to the floor. "Classy."

"Are you here for any reason other than to mock me?" he asked, getting to his feet and rubbing his side. The match quickly died out and Sizzi pouted.

"Aw, make the pretty come back!" Ash rolled her eyes and walked over to the work bench, grabbing a bowl and working her magic. She pulled out powers and strange, flammable things from the pockets of her jacket and set it alight. Burning flames of blue and green rose from the bowl and Sizzi squealed in delight.

"That should keep her occupied for a few minutes," she said cooly, walking over to Reno.

"You know, you really need to teach me that."

"Pyromaniacs keep their secrets. Now, I thought you'd be interested in this." She pulled out a small tablet with a video loaded on it. The tablet was the only thing the kids had for entertainment outside of the circus life and they usually used it for hooking up movies to the projector. Ash must've stolen it. He wasn't surprised.

His eyes were glued to the screen as the clip played. It was a local news report about a train. Scarlett Lakes news. The voice over explained how one of the carriages was shot off after a police chase. Images from the inside showcased four people, 'the offenders'- a young adult with thin black hair, a teenage boy with strange spikes on his head, a teen girl with pink and black stained-

His mouth fell open. Ash paused the video when the image became clear enough to tell who was in it. "This is from a few days ago."

Cora and Zane were there. Right there. In the flesh. Completely alive and well. His brain didn't even take the other teens or the police into equation because his friends were _there_ and they were _alive_. His grin was contagious and Ash found herself wearing a small smirk.

"THEY'RE ALIVE!" he cheered, hugging the surprised girl. "Cora and Zane are alive!" He ran to the door and flung it open. "CATHY!" he yelled, running out into the rain. Sizzi watched him and gasped.

"Yay! Fun!" and she bolted after him.

* * *

><p>Sparks was approaching them.<p>

The sky was darkening and lights of every color were igniting the horizon. But the promise of excitement seemed to drain the kids the more they got closer. Not even Zane was cheerful at the thought of seeing the long awaited city.

As the bus traveled further the buildings got higher and the alleyways got darker. The people walking down the streets got stranger. Some looked like bikies, some hookers and some looked like walking rainbows. Thumping music surrounded them and a group of young men started to get pumped up. Soon the bus was honking and serving until it finally stopped.

The trio dragged themselves onto the street. The buildings enveloped them like a cage of swears, music, lights, drugs and casinos. _Alright_, Cora told herself, grabbing Zane by the hand. _We just have to go through Sparks and then we'll be at the circus. We'll be home._

_Whatever that means._

* * *

><p><strong>Ash is an OC created by CrazyPerson145 so kudos to her :)<strong>


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